


Let's Try This Again

by Nny11



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Anakin is adorable, Baby Ahsoka charms her way into unfucking the timeline, Baby's First Frequent Flyer Card for the Halls of Healing, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Bond Shenanigans, Force Visions, Foundling Ahsoka, Gen, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Padawan Anakin, Prophetic Visions, Protective Obi-Wan, Sheevery Intensifies, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Whump, dreams are weird especially when shared, no editing we die like meh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-06-09 22:12:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 29,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15277278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nny11/pseuds/Nny11
Summary: Anakin's life is shaken up when he finds a small togrutan toddler hiding in a dingy alleyway, after all, she did create a Force bond with him and is apparently his future Padawan. Wizard!





	1. Nice to Meet You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin gets jumped in an alley and Obi-Wan has a laugh.

Anakin stared down at the little girl in front of him in absolute confusion. Something prickled along the back of his neck, tensing his shoulders and spreading his feet as if preparing to run. The little togruta was probably closer to a toddler than a child, all alone, dusty, and wearing ill fitting clothes. Despite the worn appearance she was well fed. Despite her age the force around her sang the same way it did for many of the Jedi that Anakin had known. It was all the wrong angles and contradictions that left him wary, left his heart racing slightly.

She smiled, wide and toothy, before positively launching herself at him.

Anakin instinctively crouched preparing for an attack, and found himself awkwardly hunched as she hugged him tight around his neck instead. A mill stone weighing him down. Despite the way his mind warned him to be careful, the force seemed content. The girl giggled into his neck, her feet swinging back and forth to lightly kick his stomach. Flushing with embarrassment Anakin lowered into a squat so she could touch the ground. When she didn’t let go he eventually wrapped his arms around her to pat her back. This earned him another giggle and a nuzzle. Still red faced he slowly sat down with his legs crossed, and immediately had a lap full of random toddler.

Despite her dirty looking clothes and the smudges of dirt on her face and lekku, the girl didn’t actually smell. Her little arms had a fierce grip and, now that he was thinking about it, that leap should have been impossible even for a togruta. His stomach turned, this all smelled of set up to him. Choose an easy mark, distract them, do something to them. Anakin fumbled for his communicator.

“Kenobi.”

It was such a relief to hear his Master’s voice, to know he could ask for help and get back up.

“Master, I have a problem.” Anakin tried to keep his voice even and professional. Sure this was going to get him teased if it was nothing, but it might save his life if it was something and Obi-Wan would definitely come.

His unwanted ward stomped her feet on his legs, and without letting go screamed, “Hi!”

There was a pause and Anakin wished that he could stop all his blood from rushing to his face or at least stop the ringing in his ear.

“Anakin,” somehow his name always sounded drawn out and half groaned when Obi-Wan was annoyed with him.

“This isn’t my fault! She literally jumped on me and won’t let go!” His voice cracked slightly as he protested causing the girl to laugh more. He huffed as he heard Obi-Wan’s muffled chuckling. “Master, I’m serious, what am I supposed to do. She’s, well she’s alone out here? I can’t just  leave her.”

The girl, apparently decent in basic, wrapped her legs around his torso as best she could, tightened her grip, and even went so far as to bite into his tunic.

“Please don’t chew on that,” Anakin hissed, only earning a high pitched growl from her and a bark of laughter from his Master.

“I’m on my way Anakin, keep an eye on her.”

The communicator cut and Anakin was left fuming at it silently. As if she’d give him the chance to lose sight of her!

“Don’t drool on me.” He grumbled. “Master Obi-Wan just gave me this.”

The girl only growled again but ruined it as she giggled half way through. Anakin finally found himself relaxing a hair, a small smile growing on his face.

“Yes,” he agreed as solemnly as he could, “grrrrr.”

Humans can’t actually growl, not the same way that many species can at least. But the growling from this kid was so high pitched it was adorable. Like listening to a kitten try to meow, or a puppy try to bark.Craning his neck to look at the top of her blue and white striped montrals, Anakin tried to deepen his voice. “Grrrr!”

She gave another, louder growl and shook her head back and forth as if she was going to tear a chunk of his tunic off. Her heels thumped on his back causing his fake growling to stutter. With as mighty of a roar as he could manage Anakin proceeded to tickle her.

To her credit, the girl kept her bite as she shrieked into his ear, twisting around but never letting go. Little nails dug into the short hairs at the nape of his neck, the painful little tugs were not enough to make him stop. Eventually she dissolved into high pitched whining and Anakin stopped giving her sides a firm pat. While her bite and grip remained firm the rest of her melted into exhausted giggles. Anakin couldn’t stop his own chuckles. The force felt energetic, bubbled around them. No danger, no problems, just excitement. Okay. Okay, he could do this.

“Grrrr?” Anakin asked forgiveness the only way he knew how with her. She rumbled back at him.

“What a meaningful conversation!” Obi-Wan said with a wide grin. His Master looked beyond amused and Anakin belatedly remembered that he was supposed to be annoyed and working on asking for help.

He did his best to school his features into a respectable padawan look before standing, the girl hanging limp around his neck. “Yes Master.”

Obi-Wan’s grin only grew at the sight, one hand briefly brushing over his mouth in an attempt to hide it. He strode over to them and hid both his hands inside his robe sleeves. It was his dignified Jedi Knight appearance and was utterly ruined by the way his eyes sparkled looking at the two of them. Despite Obi-Wan’s complaints about his former Master’s habits, he was a sucker for children. Anakin had pretty much banked on that for as long as they’d been together, and always tried to work that angle for himself when he could.

“Hello there little one, my name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am a Jedi Knight, and your current climbing gym is my Jedi Padawan Learner Anakin Skywalker. What is your name?” Obi-Wan stood tall and spoke to her with the same tones he would to anyone else. It was heartening to hear in a way, it meant that Obi-Wan liked her and wasn’t trying to placate either of them.

Despite his own better judgement, Anakin was starting to like his new passenger.

The girl frowned into her mouthful of tunic before spitting it out. It was cold and wet against Anakin’s collarbone, and a bit gross. She planted her feet on his stomach to lever herself up, as if he was nothing more than a cliff to clamber over. Ultimately it put her nearer to Obi-Wan’s eye height as she shuffled up to the best of her abilities. Anakin snorted at the way her face scrunched up in concentration as she finally reached a height she apparently liked. Finally she looked at Obi-Wan, who had waited patiently for her to finish, and grinned. “Ahsoka. Hi Obi!”

Obi-Wan bowed respectfully, amused to no end at the display. “A pleasure to meet you Ahsoka.”

Ahsoka nodded, almost a casual bow the way her back half dipped with her head, before turning to face Anakin again. She looked at him, looked…through him. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled in warning again. It was the kind of deep considering stare that the Council sometimes gave him. A feeling of something in the Force, like a thick humid wall of air. Intangible and there. As if he’d walked with the extra weight in the air all his life. Just as suddenly as it had arrived, it was gone. Ahsoka smiled and leaned forward to kiss his forehead before losing her footing. Anakin quickly caught her and cradled her close, his eyes going wide as something hummed to life between them in the Force.

“Well that’s… rather formidable of you isn’t it?” Obi-Wan’s voice was distant and hollow to Anakin’s ears.

He could feel his chest shake in the aftermath of a blast, a flash of blinding red and blue, the stink of sweat and blood, the taste of bitter caf, a warm smile, a burst of freezing air, the smell of dust and decay. Red and white clashing together.

He snapped back to the present, panting for air and clutching her close as the visions faded.

“Master, I think, I think I had a vision just now. I think…” Anakin hesitated on the words, choked on them. Saying them would make them real. “I think Ahsoka’s supposed to…”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said, both wry and exhausted, “Indeed she is.”


	2. Check Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin is perhaps a bit too attached to his new friend and the trio go get Ahsoka a health check up.

They had dithered in the alley for a while, Anakin pacing with Ahsoka and Obi-Wan turning his head to watch their route. It seemed like a bad omen to him, that his future p-that she would appear in a dingy back alley covered in trash. That she would scare him at such a young age. How easily he found himself fond of her and wishing to keep her, and feeling terrible for that. Keep her. As if she was a slave instead of a child. Anakin wasn’t sure what else to feel about it, they belonged to each other now didn’t they? That’s what a force bond did right? While he quietly tried to wrestle with the implications of it all, his Master asked some rather important questions to no avail.

“Where are your parents?”

She’d answered by pointing at Obi-Wan and then patting Anakin’s back.

“Who do you live with?”

“You!”

“How did you get here?”

This was answered only with a shrug.

“How do you get food?”

“Trade.”

That had left Anakin laughing, imagining this little thing walking up to any of the stalls and unable to see above the top while demanding food.

“Oh, how do you do that?”

“Shiny!” She motioned around Anakin’s neck with one hand, her other arm still locked around him. Her steadfast refusal to let go of him during this whole affair was rather impressive.

It went like that for while. Her answers little more than fluff, and the few that weren’t were only half explained. Generally they were all worthless to their attempts to ascertain her current living conditions. It left Anakin with his gut turning. She was alone, an orphan or a runaway, or who knew what. Savvy enough to at least survive and to present herself a certain way. He’d seen something like this, people who would exploit themselves in any way possible to get money; the only way they often could make money. People who would roll in filth and excrement and then lay prone to beg. Those missing limbs putting them on full display for alms. But that was usually on outer rim worlds where people were desperate and the law was loose. This wasn’t Nal Hutta or Tatooine; this was a mid rimworld. Ahsoka would have been snapped up by some authority or do gooder by now if that was what she did. The longer the questioning went on the more upset Anakin found himself. Someone had abandoned this child, someone had left her on her own. That sat very,  **very**  wrong with him.

And by all accounts, it appeared that Obi-Wan was very insistent on figuring out where to drop her off. Looking to abandon her again.

The questions became too much, all the thoughts flying around his head until Anakin turned sharply to look at Obi-Wan. “We can’t leave her, I’m taking her with us no matter what you think.”

Obi-Wan’s calm facade splintered, their own bond momentarily flooding with hurt, before reshaping into a smooth wall again. “Anakin, I was never going to suggest leaving her behind.”

He could feel the guilt there, under his righteous anger, everything twisting up inside him and all of it just outside of his reach. Tears pricked at his eyes and Anakin knew he must be turning shades as he fought it off. He sniffled and found his voice raising with almost every word. “It’s not right, it’s not right what they did to her!”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan moved quickly, halting his pacing with one hand on each arm. “Anakin, you need to calm yourself.”

Anakin squeezed the girl in his arms tighter as if to ward off his own growing anger. “No! This is, like,  **super**  Republic space! This shouldn’t have happened! Where were the police, where were the Jedi? We can’t leave her!”

The world shrunk down to the blood in his veins and the pounding in his head.

“Anakin, no one is saying we’ll leave her, she’s coming with us and-”

“Good, because this is stupid! If I ever found out who did this, I’d-”

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan’s shout finally snapped him out of it. The hands on his arms almost vice like. His Master’s blue eyes piercing and shocked, and so very worried.

Anakin sniffed as hard as he could, he could feel snot on his upper lip and tears rolling slow and fat down his face. His head felt tight and his chest hurt as he trembled, coughing and gross. He dropped his head only to find Ahsoka staring up at him with wide scared eyes.

“I’m…I’m sorry Master, I don’t know what came over me.” He whispered the words watching the cautious way Ahsoka moved. She squeezed his neck and it occurred to him that she hadn’t completely let him go even though she’d been scared.

“We will discuss that later, and I do mean that we will discuss it and the repercussions it will have on the both of you with that bond. For now we will go to a medcenter to make sure Ahsoka is physically well and then we will return to our ship to head back to the Temple.” Obi-Wan spoke plainly, his voice harsh and brokering no argument. For all the steel in his voice, Obi-Wan gently pushed Anakin into walking again.

The disappointment was hard to bear, but the silence was worse.

Anakin trudged, wiping his face as best he could on his shoulder and feeling worse for knowing he’d dirtied his new clothes. He let his Master guide him, trying to make up for his outburst, for embarrassing his Master and disappointing him. Desperate to show he could behave and be good. He was just unsure what to do to prove it right now. They reached a med center long before Anakin had a chance to try and say anything.

And the silence was finally broken when a nurse tried to take Ahsoka out of his arms.

“No!” Ahsoka shouted, clinging to him with all her considerable strength.

The nurse soothed as best they could, “We just need to weigh you and get your height sweetling then you can be right back with your friend here.”

“No! No, no, no!” Ahsoka was howling in his ear.

The nurse looked at Anakin and he gulped before trying it himself. “Hey Ahsoka, I promise I’ll pick you right back up ok? Please?”

She jerked back to glare at him with a trembling bottom lip before she started to cry, wailing and jerking in his arms. “No! Ani no! Say no! No!”

He looked helplessly at the nurse and then at his Master. His own recent emotions already surfacing again like a giant bubble of gas rising painfully behind his ribs. Obi-Wan appeared almost frozen, apparently a crying toddler and a crying padawan was too much to handle.

“Ok,” the nurse said calmly, hands lifted placatingly, “it’s ok then. You can stay right there alright? No one is going to force you.”

Ahsoka continued to cry and chant her litany of no’s for the rest of the visit.

Anakin obediently stood on a scale and gave the nurse his weight with his kit. He hummed softly to Ahsoka and tilted her head as the nurse took her temperature. He patted her back and rocked her as the nurse asked him and Obi-Wan questions about her behavior.  Anything to try and glean some insight into her health. He kissed her head as they took blood, causing a whole new wave of screaming and crying. He walked and bounced and rocked and hummed until his throat hurt. Eventually he wondered if Ahsoka would simply cry forever; if she would never run out of steam. Anakin felt a bit like he understood as he miserably watched the way Obi-Wan was trying to subtly watch him. He kind of wished he could just join her. The two of them could cry and growl for the rest of forever. The results came in saying that she was physically fine. Her midichlorians were high for a child. Emotionally is where they guessed a problem might be.

Anakin had wanted to laugh, fighting off wave after wave of inappropriate laughter.

The walk back to the ship gave her time to finally relax, her screaming breaking off into hiccups and then into sniffling. Anakin was excited when he thought she was nuzzling him again, only to feel his Padawan braid being tugged. A slight turn of his head revealed that she had managed to get it in her mouth and was chewing it now. Rather aggressively chewing it. He cringed even as he sighed. Chewed and snotty tunic, puffy face and eyes, why not a slobbery braid too. Not long after that she finally dropped off into sleep.

Despite her relative calm, Anakin kept his mouth shut the rest of the way to the ship. Unwilling to tempt her or his Master’s tempers.


	3. Power Nap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin and Obi-Wan talk about what happened planet side, and Anakin takes a nap with Ahsoka.

In sleep Ahsoka was easy to move, Anakin swaddled her up in his blanket and robe before laying her down carefully on his bunk, hoping that the warmth and pressure would make up for her lack of a human speeder. Obi-Wan had gone to the cockpit to contact the Council and explain the situation, but that respite wouldn’t last long. Anakin took the time to change his tunic, wash his face, and redo his braid. He knew they were going to talk about what happened, even if he didn’t really want to, and the least he could do was look respectful when Obi-Wan decided on his punishment. Looking at himself in the mirror he was still covered in pink splotches and looked half dead. Anakin snorted and mumbled, “A shining example of Jedi neutrality and poise.”

Sneaking back out into the kitchenette, Anakin could still hear Obi-Wan’s steady voice from the front of the ship. The call was taking longer than he’d expected, but Anakin hoped that would work in his favor as he squeezed around the cramped space making tea. He knew where the provisions had been stocked, after all, Master Obi-Wan had brought them along himself. Anakin worked quickly and as quietly as he could managing to only hesitate for a moment at the sparse selection. His hand hovered over the green they both like before snatching the rooibos. After this day caffeine was probably not a good idea.

With his arbitrary task finished Anakin found his nerves returning in leaps and bounds. He hovered, twisting his hands together, and checked on Ahsoka through the force (asleep) before checking on his Master. Their bond was quiet, but not closed which was a good sign. Anakin sent a small, cautious request over, just to know if it was going well. He wasn’t sure if he meant between them or between Obi-Wan at the Council. There was a quick reassurance from Obi-Wan, not brusque but distracted. Anakin concentrated on sending the concept of tea back to him, warm and soothing, fragrant steam, half floating leaves. There was deep amusement and gratitude; the sensation of walking through a small waterfall. That was Obi-Wan code for relief and it made Anakin smile even as he fought off the desire to shake nonexistent water from his skin.

When the bond did close it was the gentle and temporary closing of a door, not a solid wall.

It left Anakin feeling both better and sick to his stomach. He didn’t do well with these sorts of things. It was easier when Obi-Wan was just angry at him and told him what to do, or when Obi-Wan was all smiles and jokes. One was a master and one was a friend, and it was hard to sort it out when he was both. Ultimately Anakin decided to try and be happy about the exchange even if he couldn’t exactly manage it. He eventually poured their tea and sat at the table, unsure if he could relax or if he was in trouble.

When Obi-Wan emerged a few minutes later he wore a tired smile and sat down slightly hunched over sighing heavily as he did. “Thank you for the tea Anakin. How is Ahsoka?”

Anakin dipped his head, grateful for the soft opening and annoyed at the deflection, “She’s still sleeping.”

Obi-Wan glanced at the wall separating them from her before picking up his cup. “Good, it’s been a rather eventful day for us all I think.”

Anakin practically snatched his mug up, letting it burn hot against his palms instead of answering.

“Anakin, we do need to talk about what happened.” Obi-Wan spoke to his tea, his chin length hair falling to frame his face. It left his Master covered in half shadows.

Anakin flexed his fingers against the smooth ceramic and felt like trying to duck under the table. He pushed down on the floor through his heels and nodded sullenly. “Yes Master. I…I just started thinking too much is all, about how no one had helped her. It’s not right.”

“I agree that what she’s been through is wrong, no child should be left to fend for themselves like that. But Anakin…you cannot solve that problem with violence and hatred. It serves no one, least of all Ahsoka.”

Anakin clenched his jaw and forced himself to sip from his tea, worked to keep that anger from bursting forth again. Trying to let the hurt burn out. “I think it would be good to make sure it can’t happen again.”

“That,” Obi-Wan’s voice held a slight snap to it, “is for the local authorities, not the Jedi. You found her and she’s safe now. Be grateful for that, and happy for having a new friend instead of angry over a past you cannot change. You did well Anakin, but your anger will flow down your bond to her if you are not careful.”

“No it won’t, I’ll make sure of it Master!” Anakin’s head whipped up, desperately seeking eye contact to make this promise real. Permanent. He wasn’t going to hurt her, he wasn’t going to ruin someone like that!

“I understand that you’ll try, but you still get flashes from me don’t you?” Obi-Wan asked with his head tilted.

Anakin flushed. Oh.  **Oh.**  If Obi-Wan couldn’t even hide his stronger emotions fully from him, how could Anakin hope to shield Ahsoka? He couldn’t. Anakin was devastated and felt stupid. Of course he couldn’t, he was still new to being a Jedi. He didn’t have control. Obi-Wan’s hand was warm as it covered his, one thumb rubbing soothingly over the back of his wrist.

“This is a big responsibility Anakin, but one the Force has chosen you for. This would not have happened if it wasn’t supposed to. I have faith in you.”

Anakin nodded miserably at the table, not really believing his Master’s kind words.

They sat there for quite a while, silently drinking their tea. Obi-Wan eventually withdrew his hand, but sent soothing waves over to Anakin through their bond to make up the difference. When Anakin finally started to slump over, exhausted and wishing he had chosen the green instead, Obi-Wan had stood and collected their mugs and pot. A slight jerk of his chin indicating that Anakin should go and rest. He wanted to protest but Obi-Wan had already turned away to clean and the floor seemed to tilt alarmingly under foot.

Perhaps sleep was the best thing now that he was thinking about it.

Anakin stumbled to his bunk, and fumbled a bit to rearrange himself around Ahsoka’s still sleeping form. He dropped quickly into sleep.

_Anakin walked along one of the Temple’s many sun drenched hallways, looking for Master Obi-Wan. He didn’t know why, but it was imperative that he found his Master and quickly. His heart thumped painfully and his head throbbed in time. It was so bright this time of day, it always was around…what time was it? He glanced at his chrono which flashed 23:20. Looking back up he felt silly, right, the Temple lights were just terribly bright at night. A shame how it only made his head hurt worse though. Honestly, how was anyone supposed to sleep with all these lights around? No one seemed bothered by it except him, just another way he was different he supposed. Funny though, Anakin would’ve assumed he’d be better at it thanks to his life on Tatooine but-_

_Footsteps, echoing around the hall, getting louder with every bounce but never sounding closer._

_“Obi-Wan!” Anakin called, breaking into a steady jog and fighting his billowing robes with each step._

_“Anakin!” Obi-Wan’s voice echoed, worried and harried._

_Anakin tripped, and hauled up another armful of deep brown cloth. “Master Obi-Wan wait!”_

_There was no response. Anakin cursed as he tripped again and wound the cloth over his shoulders desperate to keep his feet untangled. There was a ringing sound far away and the footsteps-and would it kill the Order to use less powerful lights? His head felt like there was something inside pounding away at the same few spots, trying to break out from his skull. Force it hurt. Anakin stumbled, unable to keep up his pace and terrified that Obi-Wan was leaving him behind._

_“Master!” He called desperately the same moment a second softer voice echoed the word behind him._

_Anakin whipped around squinting into the thick darkness of the hallway, breathing heavy and lightsaber in hand. Someone had just shouted behind him. Someone nearby but he couldn’t see through the deep shadows of the Temple._

_“Hello?” “Hello!”_

_Anakin ignited his blade and struggled to get out of his robe. He could barely run in it, there was no way he could fight like this if he needed to. Obi-Wan’s footsteps faded to nothing leaving him completely alone. His head was going to explode, Anakin desperately pressed the heel of his free hand to his forehead and bit back a shout of pain._

_Anakin called out, he needed help, he needed-“Master please come back!”_

_The voice echoed him again. Where he had called full of fear, it called full of grief. The raw sensation of their pain washed over him in waves. Anakin dropped like a stone, knees cracking on the floor as pain overwhelmed him. White hot and unending pain. He screamed out reflexively, “Master!”_

_Someone collided with him on the floor, their armored legs clattering as they practically slid into him. One arm wrapped around his back and their other gauntleted hand pressed into his chest, healing blue light dancing just along the edges of her orange fingers. He couldn’t look up, tears blocking his vision as everything swam around him, but he knew. He knew without looking who was holding him._

Anakin woke groggy, his head aching and jaw practically locked from how hard he’d been clenching it. He looked blankly out at the room trying to commit as much of his dream as he could to memory before hearing a sudden high pitched snort. He was only partially successful in keeping his giggles contained. Anakin slowly looked down and found Ahsoka had apparently woken at some point. The blanket and robe were both half thrown over Anakin and she had wormed her little hands between his inner and outer tunic. She had been there long enough to of course drool on him, but he could forgive her two dirtied tunics in exchange for that one sleepy snort. He wiggled his arm experimentally and found that her weight had it pinned, and with a sigh used the force to tug the blanket down over his feet. Ahsoka didn’t even twitch as the cloth was pulled. Anakin practiced his breathing and let himself drift back to sleep a few minutes after that. Obi-Wan would wake them when they needed to get up.


	4. The Most Important Meal of the Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin gives Ahsoka a bubble bath, and Ahsoka shows off a pretty neat trick in the Force over breakfast. Obi-Wan may have aged an additional ten years for... no... particular reason.

Obi-Wan had woken them both about an hour out from the Temple with a poorly hidden grin and instructions to get presentable. Anakin had rolled out of his bunk with a mumbled affirmative before starting to fumble around for clean clothes. When he turned to start packing up the linens he was surprised to find Ahsoka had folded the blanket and sheets up into a neat pile of squares. Groggily he turned his head to watch her finish folding his robe with decent precision despite her size. As if feeling his gaze Ahsoka looked up and smiled, waving a little as she worked.

Anakin huffed a laugh. “I was getting to it!”

“Sure!” Ahsoka chirped as she put it on the bed next to the blanket. She patted it out to smooth the top before tugging on the bottom of her shirt with a satisfied grin.

Her dirty, stained, ill fitted shirt. Anakin squeezed the small bundle of clothes in his hands with an idea half formed. “Hey, why don’t you use the fresher first? I can launder your clothes, and you can use one of my tunics! Uhm, you know how to use the fresher washing functions right?”

Ahsoka tilted her head in thought before violently shaking her head. “ ‘s too loud.”

Anakin could barely contain himself as he added, “You might be too short anyways!”

Ahsoka had simply waved her hands over her head and giggled.

Anakin chuckled at that, quickly working through what they could do for her. “Ok, well the sink in the kitchen is deep enough if you want a little bath?”

Ahsoka’s eye grew huge as she darted forward to grab his free hand dragging him out the door. In no time at all Anakin had run a warm enough mini bath for her, and had been glad that under all those layers Ahsoka appeared to be perfectly healthy. No scars, no tattoos, no marks of any kind. Something in him loosened considerably at that. Anakin was hard at work scrubbing her back with a washcloth when Obi-Wan stepped out of the cockpit and stared at them in bewilderment.

“Is something wrong with the fresher?” He asked, eyes crinkling slightly as Ahsoka waved a watery hello to him. Splashing Anakin in the process, of course.

“Sound waves would be too much,” Anakin mumbled as he struggled to clean under the nub of her rear lek, “and she’s too short to reach the dials.”

Obi-Wan tugged at his beard and nodded sagely. “Ah, I understand that all too well I’m afraid. I’ll get the tea going if you filled the pot.”

Anakin looked up, completely offended at the thought that he’d forget to fill the teapot, and only got a laugh from his Master for the effort.

By the time Ahsoka was clean Anakin’s dirty tunic was wet and his hands felt pruny. It was silly but he had never gotten over cleaning with water. Water! Something they used to scrimp for, getting only D Grade or lower, people just washed with it and threw it out. It was still strange to him. Dust baths were effective, smoke worked for smells. Too much exposure to water sometimes still left him in awe or drowned out. Apparently not so for Ahsoka who stared at the draining sink with longing. Anakin helped pat her dry before Obi-Wan finally took over, shooing him towards the fresher.

“Get ready yourself, I’ll help her with the tunic.”

Frankly it was a relief to get the dirt off of himself too. To feel as if his anger from yesterday was being swept up in the sonic shower along with all the dead bits of skin and specks of dirt. He quickly made use of their bristle hair brush and brushed his teeth before shoving his old clothes into the same bag he put Ahsoka’s things into. The whole thing would get a wash at the Temple and be returned to their quarters within a few hours. Ahsoka would get new clothes of course, but he’d hold onto these for her. When he’d joined the Order he’d liked his new clothes but missed the familiarity of his old ones. He’d never been able to feel completely comfortable in the multi-layered Jedi habit and sometimes still wished he could get the woven kinds he prefered. If Ahsoka missed her things, Anakin was going to make sure she could get them back. One last check to make sure everything was in order. With a pleased nod, Anakin finally returned to the kitchenette for breakfast.

Obi-Wan had laid out the provisions he could, bread, cheese, and fruits. In front of Ahsoka was a chunk of cheese, some of the dried meat they had for emergencies, and a raw egg. It took him a moment to relax and remember the near obligate carnivore versus full omnivore thing. At least his Master was getting a laugh out of him today. Obi-Wan sent something that was both amusement and an apology over their bond. Anakin tried to send mock annoyance and hoped that it worked.

Oh shoot! Despite his failed promises, Anakin didn’t mean to send things to Ahsoka. What if she caught that? What if she thought his fake annoyance was real?

Anakin quickly switched, to his bond with Ahsoka and choked on his tea. He’d been expecting to find whatever she was feeling, and he’d been hoping it was as happy and carefree as she seemed. Instead he found a surprisingly solid barrier. Shielding that was both complex and tight. Anakin stared at her through his watering eyes, thumping one hand against his chest as he coughed. Shielding was one of the first techniques that younglings learned, but that was advanced!

Ahsoka’s lekku turned brilliant shades of blue in embarrassment, her smile gone as she stared at her plate. Her face scrunched up in pure concentration. The shielding seemed to shore up and then almost disappear all together. Leaving a sort of contentment and happiness behind as she grinned at him in triumph for a moment. If he hadn’t been paying attention, Anakin would never have known her shielding existed at all. He watched in growing shock as her smile faded and Ahsoka basically hid herself in the force all while picking at her jerky.

Obi-Wan was frozen, half out of his seat and hand still reaching out to Anakin. But his sharp gaze was focused on Ahsoka, who seemed determined to pretend nothing happened.

“That…that is quite an impressive trick young one.” Obi-Wan’s voice was soft and slightly ragged.

Ahsoka slumped, huffing into her tunic. Looking for all the world like she’d been told she couldn’t play with a toy instead of being told she had great control in the Force.

“Whoa,” Anakin breathed in amazement, heart starting to race in excitement. “That was wizard! How did you-can you teach me that? Please? I’ve been trying so hard to be able to mask like that, but it’s crazy hard since you have to be so still and that looked like you didn’t need to meditate for it or anything!”

“Anakin,” his Master’s voice all but snapped him out of that small bubble of excitement. “We will let the Council know about this and the bond.”

Translation: The Council is going to flip, you might not see Ahsoka for a long time. Things are Not Good.

The rest of their trip was spent silently, heavy, and awkward. It was as if Ahsoka’s good cheer had been sapped, she let the droid take her things for cleaning and seemed to make every turn on their walk a hair before either of them could direct her. Anakin tried to shield his own emotions the way either of his companions could. Desperate to at least seem half as calm as they were in spite of his own emotions. The fact that he felt jealous and embarrassed that a child could shield better than he could didn’t help. Then there were all his fears.

Fear that the Council would separate them. Fear that they wouldn’t accept or like Ahsoka. Fear that Ahsoka was mad at him. Fear that Obi-Wan was going to replace him. Fear that he was not the Chosen One.

Anger at that last fear. Anakin didn’t want to be the Chosen One, he didn’t want that pressure and responsibility. Now that it actually might be possible that Master Jinn was wrong, Anakin was afraid that he wasn’t special enough anymore. Pathetically afraid that the Order would throw him out now that it had evidence that he wasn’t. That wasn’t fair. He knew it wasn’t fair. He still felt a pit of resentment growing all the same.

It wasn’t until Ahsoka grabbed his hand, squeezing hard that Anakin realized he’d been projecting slightly. Looking down he could see the way her eyes were wide, her breathing fast, and the little hand in his trembled. After a moment she grabbed Obi-Wan’s hand too. Anakin looked over her head at him with a small worried frown and slowly relaxed under Obi-Wan’s warm smile.

Right. Right she was probably scared too. Or was she just scared because he was scared? Or, wait, was he scared because she was? Force bonds with more than one person was just confusing.

Okay…okay, this would be…they were going to work on it. Obi-Wan wasn’t giving up, so Anakin wouldn’t either.

He squeezed her hand back and held on as they entered the Council Chamber. He was determined to see her through this. They wouldn’t throw her out because he wouldn’t let them.


	5. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio meet with the Jedi Council. It goes about as well as expected.

The High Jedi Council had met in the Council Spire for at least a thousand years. The circular room had large transparisteel windows out onto Coruscant’s skyline to remind the Council who they served. The mosaic in the center of the floor was a series of circular designs to symbolize the harmony and balance between the Jedi, the Council, and the Force. The arrangement of the room was such that the Council would sit in a perfect circle with any petitioners standing in the center of the room. This was designed to remind the Council that no voice was more important than another and to remind the petitioner that the Jedi’s actions would be fully examined from all angles. The overall effect was meant to be humbling, and meant to convey centuries of wisdom.

In Anakin’s estimation the actual effect was to put whoever stood before the Council at a great disadvantage. The view would distract them, the room would force them to turn in endless circles if they wished to face every Council member, and frankly the floor made him feel like he was about to get sucked into a black hole. Anakin hated the feeling that it inspired in him. Master Obi-Wan always seemed, if not at ease, not uncomfortable to be there. He could stand tall and proud, the Council’s scrutiny washing over him in waves. It was admirable that Anakin so rarely saw his Master become upset or flustered here, considering it was all that Anakin seemed capable of himself.

Ahsoka squeezed his hand, her head snapping around as she tried to look at every Council Member. The cataloging seemed to be going well enough until she laid eyes on Master Plo Koon. Anakin had seen many younglings hesitate when it came to Master Koon. His appearance was intimidating and the mask garbled his voice. In the force he was smooth as glass and hard to read. Until he lowered his shields, most younglings were a bit afraid of him. Ahsoka had what could only be described as: the exact opposite reaction. She immediately shook her hand free of his grip before bounding over to Master Koon. Ahsoka slid the last half yard or so, smacking audibly into Master Koon’s polished boots with a fit of giggles. She was only content to hug his boots for half a second before she determinedly clambered into the shocked Kel Dor’s lap, where she appeared content to latch onto his neck for possibly the rest of her life.

Anakin reminded himself not to be jealous. She had, after all, only hugged him and Master Koon like that. And Anakin was the one with a training bond to her, so they had something special.

“Hi!” She chirped directly into his chest.

Master Koon gave a rather hearty chuckle, gently wrapping his arms around her to reciprocate the hug and provide a bit more support. “Greetings young one, it is good to see you in such high spirits. What is your name?”

Anakin wanted to roll his eyes, as if the whole Council didn’t already know her name and why she was here. It was a bit schlocky in his opinion to treat her like an idiot. He tried to hide his irritation by looking around the room, and was rather startled to realize that he was making the same face as Master Windu.

“Ahsoka Tano.”

“A pleasure to meet you Little ‘Soka.” Master Koon rumbled soothingly as he patted her back.

Ahsoka’s smile grew watery a split second before she burst into tears, clinging to him even tighter.

Anakin could feel himself flushing slightly. One did not cry in the Council chamber and you certainly weren’t allowed to cry on a Council Member! This was already going badly and they hadn’t even started yet. She was his future pa-she was gonna be a Jedi, and he was going to train her, and that wouldn’t happen if the Council kicked her out for being emotional!

Obi-Wan, perhaps sensing Anakin’s growing dread placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. He soothed through the training bond, quickly weaving a weak barrier between Anakin’s mind and his new bond. “Perhaps we can begin while Ahsoka has a chance to calm down. It has been a rather busy few rotations for her after all.”

Master Yoda smiled, a small chuckle escaping him as he watched Ahsoka’s hiccuping theatrics as if it was a cute display instead of possibly damning. “Wise this is. The Council has discussed the feat this foundling has performed. Most unusual.”  
  
“Ah, yes,” Obi-Wan spoke only the slightest flutter in the Force giving way to his nerves, “We have something else to add to that. This morning Ahsoka demonstrated her ability to hide her presence in the Force.”

In the beat of silence that followed, Anakin realized that Obi-Wan hadn’t seen what he had. “She also had incredibly complex shields Masters. I meant to check on her well being and surprised her into hiding even her shields!”

An even longer silence drew out as the Council spoke quietly amongst themselves. Anakin did his level best to not fidget or look at Ahsoka who had finally started to settle.  _I’m not attached, I’m **not** attached, nothing to see here._

“This is highly unusual,” Master Windu said managing to once again be the true master of understatements. “Do we know if she has had any training?”

“Not that we were able to ascertain, but it seems likely that she has been taught.” Obi-Wan’s voice was level even if Anakin could feel a wariness there.

“She will need to be examined for darkness,” Master Koth said it the same way one might suggest that a sewer was filthy.

It made Anakin bristle.

Ahsoka clung tighter to Master Koon and looked up at him through large pleading eyes. “Master Plo!”

Master Plo Koon, famed Jedi Master and Sage, formidable and intangible to the galaxy, apparently could be melted by the earnest pleas of children. He paused for a moment before looking up and casually throwing out, “I believe I would be best suited to search as she seems more comfortable with me.”

Master Yaddle snorted, Anakin barely heard her half mumbled, “Here we go!”

There was a solemn enough nod between the council despite their reservations, then Master Koon placed one hand on the top of Ahsoka’s head and began the search.

Anakin felt like the room was suddenly stretched out on string, he swayed on his feet and barely felt the way his Master’s hand steadied him. A concerned voice whispering in his ear but the words were missing. Ahsoka was resisting the search, pulling on her bond with Anakin so strongly and unexpectedly that it almost hurt. Then Anakin popped back into place, solid and fine. He turned his head to nod slightly at Obi-Wan who squeezed his shoulder before letting go. There was a few moments of silence as Master Koon searched before Anakin felt the hair on his arms lift. A crackling in the force and then, suddenly, there was a force bond between Master Koon and Ahsoka. Not as deep or as strong as the one she had to Anakin, but steady and solid.

Master Yaddle cackled at the same time that Master Windu cradled his head in one hand. Master Yoda did nothing to hide his smug grin.

Master Koon looked at Ahsoka in surprise before looking up at the rest of the room. Affronted, he spoke a hair louder than necessary. “We were all aware of her ability to form Force bonds.”

Master Yoda’ smirk only grew as he tapped his stick on his chair, “Aware we were, yes. Expect a demonstration we did not!”

For her part Ahsoka flushed and glared miserably at Plo’s mask, her little hands tracing the engravings around in endless swirls.

“Yes, unexpected indeed. I sensed no darkness in this child although much was closed to me.” Master Koon carefully looked down at her. “With your permission, Master Yoda will also search.”

Ahsoka seemed to freeze. If it weren’t for the few last tears rolling down her face or the small flighty motion of her eyes, Anakin would have sworn she was a very realistic doll. He swallowed a lump in his throat as his bond with her muted again. He desperately sent her his desire to help, that she could refuse and he would stand by her. The only thing stopping him from calling it all off was Obi-Wan’s solid presence at his back. Ahsoka’s shoulders slumped and her eyes grew hard and flinty, and for one exhilarating moment he thought she would refuse them. Instead Ahsoka gave Master Koon a small kiss right on his mask, where his nose would be if he had one, before hopping off of his lap.

The sense of wrong came back in spades. The way she stood, the minute lift and tilt to her head, her gait as she walked towards Master Yoda. Children don’t behave like this for no reason, something whispered to him. Something is wrong here, it is not what it appears. His mouth was dry and his heart was racing. He could feel the sweat building just under his collar and on his hands. Anakin needed to stop this, he needed to-

He burst into a sprint a second too late, Yoda’s hand rested on Ahsoka’s head, and Anakin felt the world spin out from under him. He collapsed onto the floor as his head pounded. Something in the training bond going terribly wrong.

Flashes of Master Obi-Wan’s exasperated smile as something exploded, smoke, death so much death, the mind numbing thumping, the smile of ten thousand faces, and himself. An older version of him, fully Knighted and confident. Teaching and joking and laughing. Ahsoka, a teen and then a woman. The same gauntlets and armor from his dream. So much joy and so much sorrow.

Then finally, wonderfully, dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lady_Lombax, she does not take a nap on Plo's lap but I mean, gosh you mostly called it??????


	6. The Future is Always in Motion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka's secret is out of the bag, and yet she still manages to catch everyone off guard with one last vision.

Anakin woke suddenly with a gasp, his legs spasming as he tried to right himself to reality. His face was throbbing with pain and his vision was filled with Obi-Wan’s concerned face. The Force was…well it was a mess. Shock, outrage, some fear, determination, delight, humor, tiredness, wariness, openness. All at once from everywhere! Oh, wait, no that was all of the Council Members. Wow weren’t they supposed to be good at shielding? **  
**

“Anakin, you need to let go now.” Obi-Wan roughly whispered to him, begging as their training bond thrummed slowly, purring gently against Anakin’s mind. “You need to return to yourself.”

How ridiculous! He was perfectly well himself. He was…gosh everything just hurt so much. The Force throbbed with his pain. Well, perhaps he wasn’t completely there yet. Anakin forced his way back, pushing and pulling and shredding away until he’d released his grasp on the Force. The room popped back into place, quite enough and solid enough for him to finally fully come too.

“Master, what happened?” His voice was raspy and even though he’d been awake for less than a few hours, Anakin was sure he could sleep for the next century at least.

Obi-Wan frowned before glancing up and Anakin tilted his head to follow his Master’s gaze.

Master Yoda sat on the floor, with Ahsoka curled up in an angry little ball half in his lap. Master Windu was kneeling next to them as still as a statue. Master Koon sat with his legs stretch out in front of him with one large hand rubbing Ahsoka’s back. Anakin tilted his head around. Masters Yaddle and Bilaba appeared to be in a quiet debate with Masters Mundi, Koth, and Piell.

“Curious. Very curious what I have seen.” Master Yoda spoke softly but the sound carried well enough. “Please, dismissed for now you all are. Masters Windu, Koon, Knight Kenobi, and Padawan Skywalker; a moment more of your time I require.”

Anakin was unaccountably grateful that everyone left slowly and quietly. It gave his head a chance to stop hurting so  **karking**  much. It gave him a chance to try and pull pieces fully together even if the ragged edges grated.

“Masters,” Anakin whispered, sitting up and toying with a glass of water he didn’t remember being given. That was probably a bad sign. “I believe I’ve had another vision. I had one in the alley where we found her, and I think I had another on the ship. Just now I, uhm, I think I saw more.”

“We all saw more Skywalker.” Mace spoke gravely. “The question now is more about how much  this foundling knows.”

Anakin looked at Master Yoda in confusion.

“Perhaps a better question is when is she from. Or where. Our galaxy or another?” Master Yoda left his hand still on Ahsoka’s head.

“Time travel and galaxy hopping.” Obi-Wan sighed heavily. “Yes, I suppose it has been rather quiet for us recently. Something was bound to crop up.”

Anakin snorted in amusement and tried to hide it as a sneeze. Judging from Master Koon’s amusement and Master Windu’s exasperation it hadn’t really worked.

“Obi no!” Ahsoka moaned, wiggling to roll over and glare at him. “It’s bad luck Obi.”

Anakin grinned and chanced a peek at his Master’s face as he responded. “She does seem to know you rather well Master.”

Obi-Wan shot him a dry look. “Yes, well, she must be positively loopy if she time traveled to be your Padawan…for a second time.”

“Perhaps we can attempt to focus gentlemen?” Master Windu cut in before they could really get wound up.

Anakin’s amusement swung directly into annoyance. “You’re right Master, we should focus on if Ahsoka is alright after such an experience.”

Obi-Wan’s rebuke in the bond barely made a difference to his feelings on the matter.

“ ‘M Fine,” Ahsoka huffed in the way that always meant someone was anything but fine. She finally unraveled herself a little and immediately began picking at her tunic. “Ani…uhm…”

There was a long pause while she obviously tried to pull her thoughts together. The bond flared to life between them, and he could feel the way she seemed to draw something from him. It didn’t hurt and he didn’t feel less for it.

Ahsoka took a deep breath before starting again, speaking slowly and obviously working at each full sentence. “Anakin is, was, not bad. He needs…help. And others too. So I’m here. To help. Think ’m suppose to… Uhm, what year’s it?”

Mace nodded, “PRR 983.”

Ahsoka seemed to take a moment to count, squinting with concentration as she tapped her fingers on her stomach. “Thirty.”

A pin could have dropped.

“Are you saying you are from thirty years in our future?” Mace asked, his face completely blank.

“Yes.” Ahsoka’s face scrunched again as she kicked her stubby legs. “Don’t like being short.”

Obi-Wan’s voice was filled with a sort of glee that Anakin usually associated with spending far too much time in the archives or the labs. The kind that promised wild adventures and massive headaches. “Well that would explain why you were so reluctant to let us get a full work up done at the med center. Perhaps you’d be more willing to submit to a few scans now?”

Ahsoka puffed up and groaned. “Don’t wanna! Hurt!”

Obi-Wan absently patted Anakin’s shoulder as if that would transfer to the girl across the room. “I promise you it won’t hurt a bit, Anakin can sit with you if you’d like.”

“Excuse me Masters…but, Ahsoka, what do you mean you want to help me?” Anakin asked. The Force still hummed through him, the question out before he could truly think of it.

There was a wibble and then another soft tugging sensation. Then, something went wrong the tug becoming a forceful yank. He could feel Ahsoka scrambling, trying to pull him back but it was- it was as if Anakin had grown six feet, ten feet, twenty feet tall-the room was distant and small and-

_Stars he hurt. Everything hurt from the fall. He twisted his head back up to the top of the Sith Temple and gritted his teeth. There was a child and an injured man up there. This was his fault, his fight. How dare that-that abomination toss him off the battlefield as if Anakin was a speck. As if he was truly nothing. His Master wouldn’t have-but his Master was gone wasn’t he._

_Wasn’t he?_

_One foot after the other, Anakin forced himself up. Forcing his legs to carry him up to face Vader. Vader had truly killed Anakin, and he would avenge his Master. It was the least that he owed him._

_The least._

_Because Anakin was gone…he had to be._

_Vader stood, arm outstretched towards Ezra, pulling for the holocron to gain control of the weapon. Anakin snarled and began to run, igniting both his blades. As he lept, Vader turned, desperate to block his twin white blades. He almost didn’t need to, Anakin pulled his hit and was shoved through the Force. His ribs ached in protest as he once more struggled to get on his feet. Oh something was definitely broken._

_“Ahsoka,” the deep mechanical mask wheezed._

_“Ahsoka,” the distorted voice called._

_“Ahsoka,” Anakin pleaded._

_Anakin stared, his heart shattering and reforming. His Master lived. His Master was still there inside of the Sith. There was still good in him. He could feel it, that little speck of fire._

_“Anakin…I won’t leave you. Not this time!” The Force sang with the truth of his words._

_Anakin was torn, torn and hurting, and Vader looked back up at him. “Then you will die.”_

_The Force rang with the truth of his words-_

Anakin woke cradled in his Master’s arms. Tears rolling down his face and mind floundering to make sense of what Ahsoka had just shown them. He wasn’t a Sith! He wasn’t! He wasn’t! He never, he would never! Obi-Wan pressed their foreheads together, one hand clenched in Anakin’s hair. “Breath Padawan. Breath.”

He was a monster! The Council had been right about him all along, he was dangerous and a monster. Vader.

Obi-Wan pressed more firmly, his breath washing over Anakin’s face and his hair blocking Anakin’s view of the chamber. “Anakin, please, breath. You are not dangerous! Listen to me and breath.”

Anakin gasped for air, feeling light headed.

“You are Anakin Skywalker. My apprentice and my friend. You are a good person Anakin. You are filled with compassion and love. You are inspiring.”

Anakin tried to listen, he did, but he could remember the way that Vader had felt in the Force. An oily fire, an explosion, a crushing weight. His brain helpfully suggested that  this was, perhaps, a really good reason for someone to travel back in time. Slowly, very slowly with Obi-Wan’s help, Anakin regained control. The pit of helpless despair and fear never lessened but he had once lived with that everyday as a slave. He would do so again. He would have to. He would learn to.

Anakin gently pulled back, not wanting to let go of Obi-Wan for a second but knowing his fate was sealed. He forced himself to look over to Master Windu only to find the man already next to him. Anakin flinched.

Mace Windu looked at him, one hand settling softly on his shoulder. His face full of concern and his presence in the Force soft. “Anakin, are you alright?”

He half nodded and half shrugged.

Master Windu squeezed his shoulder gently. “Alright then, I want you to pay very close attention to me Padawan. What we have all just seen, this information is going to stay between us. No one else, not even the rest of the Council will be fully briefed on this potential future. Do you understand?”

Anakin worked to hold back his sniffling even as a few tears escaped. “No sir. I mean, yes sir but why?”

Master Windu smiled at him, small but genuine and sure. “The future is always in motion and darkness can be overcome. We will work together to make sure of it.”

Anakin didn’t miss the way Obi-Wan was sending amusement over their bond, likely feeling the pure shock Anakin was sure was radiating off of him. Another nudge got his mouth working again. “Yes s-Master, thank you.”

Anakin looked briefly to the floor and blanched at the shiny black tiles, that terrible shining mask burned into his mind. He quickly averted his gaze to look at Ahsoka again. For her part, Ahsoka seemed none the worse for wear. As if sharing terrible events and future’s past was a regular day for her. Considering that she had apparently survived being thrown off a building before beating back a full Sith Lord, and then time traveling thirty years…perhaps to her it was.

The adrenaline in him seemed to bleed a little off from his fears into excitement. He had a really cool Padawan, and she came back for him. She came backwards in TIME. Wizard!

Obi-Wan sighed as they both watched Ahsoka climb fully onto Master Koon’s lap, before she tried to bury herself in between his tunic layers. His Master’s voice was soft, pitched only for him. “I believe you left quite the impression.”

Anakin’s heart thumped painfully against his chest. Feeling simply exhausted he slumped backwards against his Master’s chest. “I suppose so.”

Then he went out like a light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean, really, who among us had fine motor control down pat at 6ish?


	7. Starting Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone settles into Ahsoka joining the ranks of the Jedi. Despite her refusal to explain why that's so funny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO yeah, season 7 is a thing now!??? Wow!

“This Council recognizes the potential within you, and accept you as a Jedi.” Master Windu said the words with all the solemnity and respect they deserved.

Ahsoka looked almost shocked before bursting into a fit of poorly repressed giggles. Her whole body wiggled and she quickly covered her face as if that would stop it.

Anakin couldn’t help but grin, he couldn’t even find it in him to be scared that she was losing it in the Council Chamber again. After all, they hadn’t kicked her out yet and really accidently unleashing a vision of a monsterous future was a bit worse than giggling.

“Funny this is?” Master Yoda chuckled, a serene look on his face. “Explain can you?”

“No!” Ahsoka laughed, repeating it a few extra times for emphasis.

“Ah yes, I believe that is her favorite word.” Obi-Wan said airly, only causing her fit to get worse.

Anakin coughed, tried to purse his lips to keep the smile off his face. “She is rather contrary Master.”

Ahsoka hiccuped and glared half heartedly at him. “Am not!”

“Dismissed you are, the Council has much to do. Yes! Much to do!” Yoda said, waving the three of them out.

Anakin kept his gaze locked onto his Master’s robes as they left. It had been nearly a week since he’d seen his future, and while the thought of the Council Chamber no longer sent him into anxious spirals, he didn’t want to tempt it by seeing too much. He had spent most of that time recovering from Force burnout in the Healing Ward, waking briefly and inconsistently to drink nutrient rich shakes. He did his best to convince Master Obi-Wan that he was well enough to help, in any way he could, but it hadn’t worked.

Ahsoka had spent that week being given every test Master Obi-Wan could think of. She had complained viciously about the medical exams, but otherwise had allegedly done well with the rest. Master Yoda had given her the all clear as a Mind Healer, and Master Koon had tested her Force abilities. Master Windu apparently had given her some tests too but Ahsoka had been unusually reluctant to talk about them with him. As soon as he had been well enough Anakin had asked which clan she’d been put into. Despite her growing vocabulary, Ahsoka had fumbled her way through a deflection and Obi-Wan’s look of growing frustration shouldn’t have been that funny. Anakin had volunteered to take her back to the creche and find out. Master Obi-Wan had responded by practically marching them to the Council Chamber for a confirmation.

Ahsoka jumped on Anakin’s back as soon as the door closed, awkwardly grabbing fistfuls of tunic to help crawl her way up until she could giggle into his neck. “ ‘m a Jedi!”

“Yup, we’re all Jedi now!” Anakin nodded sagely as he clasped his hands under her backside to hold her in place.

Obi-Wan coughed, and ran a hand through his hair before directing them off towards their regular quarters. Anakin dug his heels in and stopped, glancing down the other hallway.

Anakin frowned in confusion. “Master, the Creche is the other way.”

“Yes Anakin, I  **am**  well aware thank you. We have more to discuss ourselves, and I’d rather not speak about them with so many little ears listening in.”

He opened his mouth to try and ask another question only to have Ahsoka tug painfully on his ear. He snapped, “Hey!”

“Shh!” she stage whispered back at him, little bits of spit hitting his ear and causing him to twitch.

Anakin spent the rest of the walk red with embarrassment after Master Obi-Wan laughed at them.

Their rooms were like any other master-padawan pair. A small shared living space with a tiny, near worthless kitchen, a fresher, and two bedrooms on either side. Anakin hadn’t seen anyone elses rooms, but he had a feeling theirs were really only different thanks to decoration. Master Obi-Wan kept all his possessions in his own room but had requisitioned a few cushions, tapestries, and plants. He’d smiled fondly, cleary lost in some memory when he’d explained. “Home is where you forget your plants.”

Anakin wasn’t sure he understood what that meant, and if it was a joke it was kinda stupid. Who would possibly forget their plants when plants were so cool and squishy and green?

Still, Ahsoka became restless as soon as the door had closed so Anakin let her down. He prefered to not be bruised by her surprisingly sharp little feet.

“Now then, there is a bit of an issue the Council is currently still debating.” Obi-Wan said making his way to sit on a rather plush cushion. “That is your, well, status Ahsoka. You were over thirty years old before coming back my dear and they have been unsure if you should actually go to the creche again.”

Anakin frowned as he squatted down, arms wrapping around his knees. “But she’s little again! She can’t even use a fresher on her own, let alone cook.”

“Yes, but she is rapidly learning.” Obi-Wan watched as Ahsoka finished wandering around the room, gave a self satisfied nod, and then flopped belly first into his lap. “Too rapidly.”

Ahsoka huffed but otherwise seemed to be doing her level best to ignore the conversation. In his opinion, it was just further proof that she wasn’t ready to be on her own. He squinted at his Master’s face and realized that Obi-Wan had that distant look that usually meant he had a plan. Maybe not well thought out, but a plan.

“I…don’t understand.” Anakin tapped at his bond with Ahsoka and received a staticy, prickly feeling in return. Master Obi-Wan sent some reassurance down the other one.

“Ahsoka apparently knew how to read, but couldn’t remember it until Mast Koon sat down to teach her the alphabet. The next day she was reading small words and understood them. The day after that she could read a few simple sentences. Today, I’d assume she can read some of your homework.” Obi-Wan patted her back.

Anakin stared at her wide eyed. “Woah. That’s ace! That took me months and months!”

Ahsoka gave an aggravated growl and sniffled. The bond sagging slightly.

“What’s wrong?” Anakin asked, and gently poked her back when Ahsoka stayed silent.

Eventually she mumbled, “Should know more.”

Oh!

“I understand.” Anakin said, putting as much cheer as he could in his voice. “When I got here I could read and write Huttese, but not Basic. It was  **super**  annoying and frustrating, ‘cause I knew that I knew it! I just didn’t seem like it. I felt pretty dumb but everyone was really nice about it.”

Obi-Wan smiled at him proudly, one hand absently starting to pat Ahsoka as if she was a tooka. “The plan, for now, is that Ahsoka will be taught one on one. If she was in the creche and suddenly went from learning the names of numbers to, say basic algebra, what would would others think? How would we explain it?”

“Stupid!” Ahsoka sniffled.

“No you’re not! You’re super smart!” Anakin reached out automatically to pat her legs.

Her whole head rolled with her eye roll as she turned around to sit up in Obi-Wan’s lap. “Not me, this!”

Anakin grinned at her affronted self-confidence and nodded fiercely. “Well, s’long as you know.”

Ahsoka’s reached out for his hand, which Anakin happily provided, and then promptly began to gnaw on his tunic sleeve. He frowned down at her, blushing as Obi-Wan smirked at them. “I need that.”

Ahsoka growled and glared at him.

“Perhaps some stimulation toys,” Obi-Wan said lifting both hands in surrender when Anakin and Ahsoka glared at him.

Despite how much had changed, the next several months seemed almost boring with their familiarity. Anakin went to his classes, trained, meditated, and generally carried on as if nothing had happened at all. If Ahsoka hadn’t inevitably “snuck” out of her classes to sit with him during educational hours, Anakin wouldn’t have known she was there at all. Luckily most of his instructors allowed her to stay since Ahsoka was abnormally quiet and focused. Anakin had argued a few times that they’d never seen her in private, which really only served to make her mad at him. Or at least that was her reason for forcing him to walk around with her holding onto his boot.

The only real change had been the amount of work he did with Obi-Wan on his shielding. Having two training bonds wasn’t unheard of but it was unusual, and Anakin was anxious to have some privacy in his head again. Ahsoka was pretty good at holding her side tight and quiet, but couldn’t really explain how she did it. Master Obi-Wan referred to it as installing doors that Anakin could open and close at will. He still wasn’t good at controlling both side though, often having to prioritize between unconscious shielding between him and his Master, or him and his Padawan.

The meditation and work on that seemed endless but Anakin was determined to be as good at it as they were. Afterall, the number of people suddenly in his mind’s peripherals was approaching load bearing failure. And Anakin prefered not snapping thank you very much.

If they weren’t working on that, they were working on homework. Ahsoka was often distracted by his “interesting” topics, ignoring her hilarious mix of brightly colored pictures with simple words and increasingly dense texts and essays.

One afternoon Anakin had been moaning and complaining to Master Obi-Wan about how boring political history was, and how much he didn’t need it. Ahsoka, who had already been grumpy from missing a nap (even if she was adamant that it wasn’t it totally was), snapped at him. “I have to do it again!”

Anakin knew she was upset, but gosh her little scrunched up face and high pitched voice just made it funny. He snorted, almost doubling over as she turned shades in frustration. Anakin reached out and dragged her over to snuggle into his side.

“ ‘s not funny!” She whined, poking his side to show her displeasure.

“It’s kind of funny!” Anakin giggled, kissing the top of her head.

Obi-Wan was rubbing his temples, his datapad half forgotten as he gave them both a dry look. “Education is important for both of you, and no, arguing that you’re older than me is not an appropriate excuse to conveniently forget important information.”

Anakin looked down at Ahsoka, who was looking up at him with the most annoyed expression. There was a quick trade of feelings over their bond and Anakin grinned as they stuck their tongues out at Master Obi-Wan. “Master, we’ve decided that this is unfair punishment.”

“Oh really?” He asked, a half grin in place. “And what are you going to do about it?”

“We’re, uh,” Anakin glanced at Ahsoka again before answering for them, “we’re going on strike! We’ll get all the Padawans to rebel with us.”

Ahsoka melted into his side, giggling before she started chanting, “Rebel, rebel, rebel!”

Obi-Wan sentenced them both to an extra two sessions of silent meditation for their attempted coup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka is finally starting to get some control over her skills and emotions, what fun!
> 
> Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan why are you looking so nervous? Wait, why are you at Master Plo's quarters? Inquiring minds want to know!?


	8. Nervous Dad Gonna Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The obligatory Obi-Wan Kenobi is a nervous young dad chapter, because we all knew this was coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes this is from Obi-Wan's PoV instead of Anakin's. I know, it was weird for me too!

Obi-Wan had, if he was being kind, done a perfectly good job of keeping up with all the recent changes. Right as he and Anakin had been getting comfortable, the Force hand delivered the worst shock of his life directly to them. He liked Ahsoka, he really did, but she had upended the comfortable life he’d been working towards.

Obi-Wan had, if he was honest, barely kept his head above water.

He had essentially taken on a second Padawan for all the time she spent with them. He hadn’t been qualified to take on his first Padawan, let alone a second one. Especially when said second one ping ponged between a hyperactive youngling and a somewhat cynical adult. That had been a shock all by itself.

He noticed that Ahsoka put in an effort to not let it slip through when Anakin was around, her shields allowing her the protection and privacy to keep it locked away. Obi-Wan had a bad feeling that if he hadn’t caught her out, she would have hidden it from him too. She’d been standing by their window, staring out at Coruscant with one arm over her chest and the other cupping her chin. Her eyes were razor sharp and focused on the Senate Dome. For one moment he was seeing the woman who had fallen backwards through time. The one who had staunchly refused to tell any of them anything more than what she’d shown them on accident. Mace had spoken to her as if she was an adult, while Plo had tried approaching her as a child. She’d refused to tell either of them anything, and despite the way she often defaulted to her younger self that silence had been guaranteed. But here, watching the way she was clearly puzzling through something, Obi-Wan realized that her refusals had nothing to do with inability.

It had been chilling.

As soon as her eyes flicked up in the glass to see him, Ahsoka had frozen. He walked to the window sitting down cross legged next to her, and looked out as well.

“Something happens to the Senate, doesn’t it?” He asked softly, sure that she wouldn’t respond.

She frowned, pausing before whispering back, “Already happened.”

The hair on the back of his neck lifted, gooseflesh erupting over his arms. His thoughts snapping to Anakin, who was bored but content according to their bond. It couldn’t be over could it? There had to still be time. He would  **make**  there be time; anything for his apprentice. Obi-Wan would steal Anakin and Ahsoka and they’d run away if needed. Vader would never be. His voice was strangled as he’d asked, “Surely it’s not too late?”

Ahsoka had turned, and Obi-Wan anxiously scanned her face as she smiled. “Still hope, always have hope.”

She had nodded firmly, her smile becoming wider as she threw herself into his lap to give him a hug. He’d only moved when she’d started to nod off, arguing that she wasn’t sleepy even as she started to drool on his shoulder. Obi-Wan had tucked her into bed and managed to start chopping up some food for her afternoon snack before having a mild breakdown. A near toddler was in control of his future, no matter how in control she might be, she was a child.

That had been nearly a month back and Obi-Wan wasn’t sure that he was the best choice to help her anymore. Perhaps he’d been the wrong choice to help Anakin too. Those fears had him nervously pacing outside Master Koon’s quarters, arguing with himself over whether this was appropriate or not. Master Koon had been gracious in his help, and with his own bond to Ahsoka the man had been by frequently to assist in her education. He’d often told Obi-Wan to ask if he needed anything.

It felt like he’d gone backwards in time a few short years to the days when Council Members had frequently asked him if he needed help. Obi-Wan had been both grateful for their interference and frustrated by the implication that he wasn’t prepared. He was! Or, at least, he’d thought he was. Wasn’t he?

The door slid open and Obi-Wan jerked in surprise, then blushed as Master Koon called to him in the Force.

“Thank you for the invitation Master Koon, and my apologies for lurking outside your door.” Obi-Wan walked as confidently as he could to join the kel dor on his meditation mat.

“You are always welcome here Obi-Wan…you seem troubled my young friend,” Plo’s voice rumbled lightly through the breathing apparatus. His goggled eyes still somehow tracking Obi-Wan’s movements.

“I am.” Obi-Wan slowly lowered down on his knees, and focused his energy into the problem at hand. “I am concerned that I am not…perhaps the best fit for assisting Ahsoka through this transition.”

“And what makes you say that?” Plo tilted his head, arms crossing in contemplation.

Obi-Wan struggled, working his jaw as if chewing on the words. What specifically made him unsuited? He was young and inexperienced compared to the Masters who understood the situation. He was scared, and fear should not be part of a Padawan’s training. He didn’t have a training bond or any bond with the girl. Stating any of that so plainly would be rude, an affront to the Council’s wisdom. If he were too avoidant it would come across as him shirking his duties.

Master Plo spoke before Obi-Wan even had a chance to finish putting his thoughts together. “When I first meet with Little ‘Soka, I offered to assist her.”

Obi-Wan twitched, gazing wide eyed and struggling to find an appropriate response.

“Do you know what she told me?” Master Koon smiled, his tusks tightening towards his face. “She said, and I quote, Thank you but want Master Obi-Wan.”

“Why?” He asked, feeling more confused than he had just a scant five minutes prior.

“An excellent question to ask her yourself. I suspect, however, that this is perhaps not what you wanted to hear.”

It wasn’t a rebuke, Obi-Wan knew that but it still stung. “She has not made a bond with me.”

“Does she knew that you wish to create that bond with her?” Master Plo waited, but when Obi-Wan couldn’t answer he continued on, “Or perhaps she knows that you are uncertain and does not wish to pressure you.”

“That is,” Obi-Wan hesitated, the word ‘ridiculous’ still on the tip of his tongue before his mind travelled back. Every instance of Ahsoka flipping between her age and her memories, every time she’d glanced cautiously at him, or every time she’d seemed uncertain around him. As if she was gauging his reactions. Both wanting his approval and concerned about his attention. “…I seem to be failing her yet again.”

When Master Koon only waited, Obi-Wan continued, “Clearly, we all saw it, clearly I was not there for her. In that…future. And here she is, and I have let my emotions cloud my judgement. Why would she want that?”

“It seems to me the answer is both as simple and complex as our young friend.” Master Plo leaned forward slightly, “I would assume it is because she loves you.”

“What if that is misplaced?” Obi-Wan snapped, a burst of frustration leaking through.

“Is it?”

The silence was long and miserable as he was forced to admit, “No. At least I hope not.”

“May I ask you one more question then? You came here to ask me to train her, because you feel that some other version of yourself failed her and, therefore, to some degree you failed her. You based this in part on not seeing yourself in her memories. So I ask, where was I?” Plo shook his head slowly, his voice heavy with emotion, “Where were any of the Jedi? Why were none of us there? It seems to me that the Order failed somewhere. We failed her, but we also failed Anakin. For you to be so uncertain, I now fear that we have failed you as well.”

He wanted to argue that the Order had not failed him, that they had never **failed**  him.

It simply wasn’t true. The lie died in his throat.

Master Koon stood, offering his hand and helping Obi-Wan up before walking to the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Obi-Wan let him taking the time to consider everything that he’d been told. The unspoken words causing his stomach to flutter with nervousness.  _This wasn’t your fault_. It felt wrong to have Master Koon take such responsibility from him. The weights around his chest had been crushing but they’d been familiar, and without them it felt oddly like he might float away. He nodded in thanks as a cup of fragrant rose tea was pushed gently towards him.

“I am still unsure if I am the best choice.” He settled on, as neutral of a statement as he could make.

Plo carefully slotted the small drink canister into his mask before answering, “Yet you are who she chose. Ahsoka chooses many things that seem odd to us, from her insistence to learn healing to her vicious complaints that she requires more communication courses. Even her insistence that loth wolf toys are superior to nexus is a mystery to all but her!”

Obi-Wan snorted, quickly pulling his cup away so he didn’t spill his tea. Ahsoka had looked ready to beat the other youngling over the head with that nexus toy before her face had scrunched up and she’d instead broken down in tears. The poor boy had looked panicked as he’d hugged her, insisting that loth wolves were really neat too.

It had been adorable.

“Obi-Wan…I know that we are not as well acquainted as we could be. But I hope you know that if you need anything, you only need ask it of me.” Plo gently squeezed Obi-Wan’s shoulders. “After all, we are in this together are we not?”

Obi-Wan managed a wane smile. “I suppose you are right Master Koon.”

“I believe we can start by having you call me Plo.” Somehow, someway, he managed to convey a completely dry look through a mask.

Obi-Wan’s smile became a bit more real at that. “I suppose you are right on that too Plo. It seems to be a natural talent of yours.”

“Ah, then perhaps you will think on what I’ve said here today.” Plo chuckled.

Something in his chest loosened even as it felt like he finally found solid ground again. Obi-Wan smirked. “Master certainly never spoke of how pushy you are.”

“Ha! Qui Gon had at least enough grace to not call the kettle black.”

“To the kettle’s face,” Obi-Wan said and pointed one finger.

Plo Koon chuckled as he tugged at the bottom of his mask. “Indeed!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: Anakin does his best not to be jealous when his tiny Padawan makes a new friend.


	9. Making Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka and Anakin make a new friend, just in wildly different ways.

Anakin chewed his bottom lip as he followed his training bond with Ahsoka. He’d begun learning how to find someone’s location with the bond and despite how long he’d protested (Ahsoka often found him multiple times a day! Why did he need to find her?) he was grateful for it now.

Ahsoka was late.

Normally Anakin didn’t have to wait long at all for her to barrel around the corner and start their study hour. When she hadn’t arrived immediately he’d felt something twist nervously in him. Anakin had lasted fifteen standard minutes before hastily packing his gear up and looking for her. Ahsoka was smart, but sometimes she got lost in the Temple when she didn’t use the map and Ahsoka hated using the map. She could be lost and scared, or trapped! Oh gosh, what if she’d lost her com-or-or what if she’d left the Temple? His mind whirled with possibilities even as he reassured himself that nothing was amiss in the bond.

It was supposed to be a helpful trick Obi-Wan had taught him. If you are concerned, check the bond. Does everything feel normal? Then there’s probably a good explanation.

Anakin found it more often made him wonder if she was hiding things from him.

It was becoming a habit that he was trying hard to stop, he really was! His shielding was getting better all the time and he hid things from her and Master Obi-Wan too. (His secrets had nothing to do with a hellish future where all his worst nightmares came true) So it was fine. It was fine. She felt fine in the Force, and so Anakin tried to keep his pace to a brisk walk as he followed that little thread towards her. He belatedly made sure to reinforce his shields with his own Master, there was no need to worry him over something so silly.

After all, Master Obi-Wan had already seemed on edge after his last visit with the Chancellor. There was no need to make him more concerned over something so stupid.

He made it to the Room of a Thousand fountains and tilted his head in confusion. Ahsoka liked it here but she didn’t make a habit of coming on her own. As Anakin slowed himself down and opened up to the Force he realized that she wasn’t alone. He squeaked, pivoting awkwardly to hide behind a bush and peeked around it. Ahsoka was there with another youngling. A girl in a lot of his classes, Anakin wracked his brain before her name came back to him. Barriss Offee. He didn’t know a thing about her besides that she was quiet and liked to be left alone. Anakin understood that feeling and had always tried to be considerate of it. He could remember all too well when he’d first started living at the Temple all the younglings who would crowd him. It was uncomfortable in many ways and so loud in his mind-so Anakin did his best to not badger Barriss.

Ahsoka, apparently, had no such concern.

Barriss was half sprawled in the grass, propped on her hands with Ahsoka laying over her legs. Clearly both annoyed and enjoying her predicament while Ahsoka spoke at precisely the speed of light. Anakin snorted, giggling into his hands. If nothing else, it was classically Ahsoka when she was just being herself. Anakin did his best to pull himself together, so he wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

“She does that,” he said finally stepping out from his hiding spot, “the non stop talking thing. I think she’s hiding gills somewhere!”

Ahsoka startled and rolled her eyes. “‘M not!”

Barriss froze, apparently unsure what to do. Her eyes flicked uncomfortably between Anakin and Ahsoka.

There was an awkward pause which certainly made his smile feel strained. He still gave it his best shot to keep up a good attitude.

“I can take her off your hands, or, well, legs in this case! Besides, someone was  **supposed**  to meet me for homework.” Anakin tried to imitate that look Obi-Wan got on occasion, the responsible adult look.

It failed to leave a mark as Ahsoka happily chirped, “Oops!”

“Oops!” Anakin laughed back, shoulders slouching with relief. Ahsoka was safe and sound, and working with him.

“Oops?” Barriss more asked than anything else, one brow lifted in equal parts amusement and bemusement.

Without giving himself too much time to overthink it, Anakin nearly skipped over and sat down next to them. It was still nerve wracking to try and make new friends with Jedi, even all these years later. “Yup. I’m Anakin by the way, I think we have classes together!”

Barriss nodded, “Senior Initiate Barriss Offee.”

Anakin snorted and flushed with embarrassment, “Oh geez, sorry? It’s just, we’re like the same age so it just seemed…funny?”

Ahsoka was glaring at him and Anakin shrunk a little in on himself. “Sorry, I promise I wasn’t laughing at you!”

“It’s ok,” Barriss mumbled into the front of her tunics.

Ahsoka poked him through their bond and Anakin quickly grabbed onto her presence. Asking through it what just happened and what was she up to and- he snorted at her feigned innocence. She was definitely up to something! He got a slight huff, and could feel a series of strange emotions and garbled concepts before Ahsoka flug her metaphorical hands in the air. There was that slight shifting he was becoming more accustom to when she got frustrated with words and-

_The girl curtseyed even as something exploded in the distance, the slight pinging sound of blaster fire still ringing in his head._

_“Padawan Learner Barriss Offee at your service.”_

_He glanced up at his Master a little more desperately than he meant to. What was he even supposed to say to something like that? Anakin just laughed at him, eyes twinkling. Thanks for the help Skyguy._

_He quickly turned back to the still curtseyed girl and offered his hand. “Hi, I’m Ahsoka.”_

Anakin popped back into his own body quickly and blinked his eyes a few times to clear his head. “Oh I get it!”

“Get what?” Barriss asked curiously, now sitting up but no less covered in a tiny togruta.

The full meaning behind this scene suddenly slammed into his chest like a runaway speeder. Ahsoka knew Barriss, like, they were already friends. It had never really occurred to him that Ahsoka probably had friends besides him and Obi-Wan. She’d certainly not shown him anything about them. Maybe…maybe she’d kind of forgotten? Maybe she was just remembering, and now that she was she was trying to find her friends. If she did that, she’d spend less time with him. After all, Anakin certainly didn’t spend all his free time with Master Obi-Wan. Why would Ahsoka spend her time with Master Anakin?

His heart raced and he jerked, emotions flaring and doing his best to hide it. He reached for the first believable thought in his head as ‘you can’t take my friend away’ was not an appropriate Jedi answer.

“What? Oh, uh, just that- I get why Ahsoka missed our study session? ‘Cause she made a new friend!” Anakin kicked himself mentally. That didn’t even sound halfway emotionless!

“Ani!” Ahsoka groaned, flopping back down.

“Oops! Well I should let you two, uh, you know? Unless you want me to take Ahsoka with me? Which I don’t have to! Anyways!” Anakin’s eyes darted around a little desperately as his throat tightened up as he fought off tears. This was not how he wanted Jedi to see him and he was clearly making the situation worse and that was totally not what he’d meant to do! “I’ll see you later!”

He was half up to his feet when Ahsoka literally jumped him, her little body smacking into his and sending them both down to the grass. Anakin’s face hurt were her little montral had hit his cheek, and his breathing got a little choppy as she squeezed her arms around his neck.

He sent her a desperate and upset mental push over the bond, and was met with a stubborn wall.

“Ahsoka, let go!” Anakin hissed, struggling to get to his feet while still trying to make sure she wouldn’t fall.

Ahsoka nearly screamed, “No!”

“Can I-uhm?” Barriss gently patted Ahsoka’s back and looked at Anakin, mouthing, “Are you ok?”

His face heated and his eyes welled, “Ahsoka stop it, I’m leaving and you should just-just stay with your new friend!”

Anakin immediately wished he could pull the words back as he started to get smothered under Ahsoka’s confusion and concern. When she growled at him, and staunchly bit the collar of his tunic Anakin flopped on his back.  He did his best not to notice Barriss’s gaze, which had gotten far too sharp and knowing for his comfort.

“She does that,” Barriss said with a small crooked grin before sitting down with them. “I think I can heal your face. The bruise on your face!?”

Anakin wanted to be mad, he wanted to stay mad at Ahsoka for replacing him so quickly and mad at Barriss for being such a perfect Jedi. He really wanted to, because it just wasn’t fair. It was just hard to be mad with Ahsoka attempting to strangle him into content submission while Barriss was being so nice to him. It didn’t mean he wasn’t upset though.

“Ok,” he sniffed staring bonelessly up at the glass ceiling, “thanks.”

She moved without hesitance, despite the gray clouds of nervousness puffing off of her into the Force. Barriss worked quickly and Anakin gave her a watery smile when she finished.

“Sorry for being stupid.” He mumbled.

Ahsoka quickly smacked his shoulder and Anakin rolled his eyes.

“…it’s alright, I would’ve been worried too.” Barriss offered, slouching forward with her elbows on her bent knees.

“Yeah, she has that effect,” Anakin said with a small chuckle earning another soft slap to the shoulder. “Hitting is not an appropriate means of conveying one’s feelings.”

It didn’t even matter that he was literally quoting Master Obi-Wan, his Master was smart sometimes. And for his own bruised stomach and arms, Anakin was more than willing to agree.

“Am not!” Ahsoka whined, finally spitting his collar out.

He was getting bizarrely used to having youngling spit somewhere on him. Judging from Barriss’s slight twitch as she spotted the damp piece of cloth, she was not. Maybe he needed to wear a high collar under tunic? Or at least carry around one of those chew toys she liked.

“Are too!” He snorted, one hand going up to rub at his eyes and the other going to poke her in the side.

Ahsoka sat up on his stomach looking so affronted he couldn’t help but laugh.

“No hitting, it’s not appro-appropriates!”

“I-I didn’t, I,” Anakin reached up to tickle her, “I poked!”

Ahsoka screeched and practically flew backwards until she was sitting in Barriss’s lap and glaring at him from the safety of her shadow. She pouted and huffed, “No tickling, Barriss tell him!”

Barriss snickered, slumping just enough to rest her chin on Ahsoka’s head before solemnly saying, “Hitting, poking, and tickling are not appropriate ways to convey your feelings.”

Ahsoka glared upwards and Anakin finally got his laughter under control. Looking at the two of them he felt a small flush of shame at the way he’d jumped to conclusions. Everyone should have friends, as many as they can. He wasn’t even sure why it had bothered him. Sitting up, Anakin picked at his trousers before nervously asking, “Hey, Barriss, can we start over?”

Barriss tried to nod and her cheeks turned faintly green with embarrassment when she couldn’t. “Sure.”

“Hi,” he said, sticking a hand out with a smile, “I’m Anakin. We have classes together!”

Barriss reached out, and shook it, “I’m Barriss.”

Ahsoka giggled, wiggling a bit in her crushed seat. Clearly intent on running off and away again, although he wasn’t sure why she was trying to run away now that they were all friends.So he made an educated guess and tried to be a proper Master.

“You’re not getting out of study!” Anakin said, jabbing a finger at Ahsoka who frowned.

“Force forbid.” Barriss added.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, arms crossing in defiance.

“Is she always this contrary?” Barriss asked, badly suppressing her grin.

“She’s normally such a well behaved child!” He bemoaned, only to glare at the spot where Ahsoka kicked him in retaliation. “Really?”

Barriss gave him a dry stare. “She does that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, just, fair warning for next few chapters, y'all know how I said the whump had passed? Well, here's the, l-look, I forgot that the sheevery had to get, LOoK!? This isn't my fault!


	10. Sheevery Intensifies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out Ahsoka isn't the only one who time traveled and she has a bad dream. To be fair, Palpatine isn't happy about this either.

“Ok!” Ahsoka chirped as she started to put away their meditation mats.

Anakin laughed, “Master, I think she may be past her terrible twos.”

Ahsoka glared around her armful of foam and cloth, baring her teeth at him in warning. It was a serious enough threat, Anakin had been bitten by her once on accident and her teeth were  **sharp**. Still, she was on the other side of the room this time, so he just smiled back at her.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said solemnly, “at last, our long galactic nightmare has ended.”

“Master Obi, no!”

“Ah, our mistake my dear. Clearly we needed more evidence before declaring peace.” Obi-Wan bowed shallowly before returning to his own task. The dishes wouldn’t clean themselves after all.

Anakin frowned at the table, which was stubbornly refusing to look clean again, and mumbled, “Master, don’t encourage science. Who knows what it’ll do?”

It was a pathetically easy way to make Obi-Wan bristle and do that little disdainful squint, which was also a sure fire way to make Ahsoka laugh. For Anakin, that made it a win win. He grumbled as the mug ring refused to come out of the wooden table top.

“We know decently what science would do!” His Master huffed.

Ahsoka pointed emphatically at herself, “Time travel.”

“That’s,” Obi-Wan reflexively tucked his hair back behind his ear, leaving a little trail of bubbles on his cheek, “That is the Force. It’s different.”

“How?” Anakin asked while shooting his mischievous plan down his bond with Ahsoka.

She sent basically a snort back, and as soon as Master Obi-Wan stopped talking she cut in with, “Why?”

They weren’t even listening, not really. Obi-Wan had tried to explain the Council’s theories before but the end result was a lot of weird suggestions that Anakin found less and less likely. Honestly, everything from her being the chosen one to her being accidentally summoned  to one last suggestion that the Sith were behind her appearance. None of it made sense, and Anakin had just given up on ever knowing. So instead of listening he and Ahsoka sent little pokes back and forth, little warm spots and itchy spots dotting his sides from the force of her attacks.

It sounded like Obi-Wan was winding down, so Anakin rolled his eyes at her before turning and asking, “Ok, but why do they think that?”

There was a pause as Obi-Wan’s eyes flitted between them, before he started fighting a bright smile. Obi-Wan quickly flicked water at both of them, chuckling, “Ungrateful! Both of you! Off to bed with you, and no dinner!”

Ahsoka giggled and skipped to the fresher to brush her teeth, leaving Anakin to point out, “Master we already ate dinner.”

“I know what I said Padawan.” There was a gentle insistence over their bond, a refreshing breeze and the soothing weight of a blanket. “Now off to bed please.”

It was cheating, but Anakin yawned all the same. “Yes Master, good night Master.”

Ahsoka trudged past him, apparently getting a similar sleep suggestion along the frail new bond she had with Obi-Wan. There had been an awkward afternoon where the two of them had talked while Anakin sat nearby for emotional support. Of his Master or his Padawan, he really wasn’t sure. Despite Ahsoka’s best efforts she couldn’t seem to will anything to life between them. Her tears were wiped away and Master Obi-Wan had sat with her to build it between them. It had been sweet. Nerve wracking, but sweet. It also really helped when Obi-Wan wanted them both to do something so Anakin wasn’t playing middle man anymore.

Anakin grinned at her scrunched face, dropping a kiss on her head before going through his own night time routine. It didn’t take long for him to shuffle into their room and all but collapse into his own bed. Letting Ahsoka’s soft whistling snores lull him to sleep.

 

_Anakin nervously stared at his datapad, checking around the classroom to find everyone else writing away. Why hadn’t he studied for the test? He chewed at his lower lip and bounced his leg, hands shaking as he wracked his brain for the right answers. There was a soft crackling sound from outside the classroom and Anakin forced himself to focus. Why hadn’t he come to class at all over the last semester? He’d been so sure he knew the material! Squinting at his datapad now, Anakin couldn’t even tell what language the test was in._

_Oh no, that’s right, he’d never learned basic. Anakin felt his stomach drop in time with a louder crack. The hairs on his arms lifted and lightning struck again. Anakin looked up at the windows and frowned. It was still so sunny, where was that even coming from?_

_Panic flooded down his bond with Ahsoka, and Anakin fell out of his desk gasping for air. He was struggling through water, trying to pull himself out of sand dunes, he was- he was-_

_“Anakin, this isn’t real!” Master Obi-Wan pulled him to his feet, the world tilted alarmingly and gravity pushed them across the now empty floor towards a gaping hole in the wall. “We’re in her dream, Ahsoka’s dream, and we need to leave. **Now**.”_

_Dream? Anakin’s hands went numb with pin pricks and static. Lightning struck again, flashing in the darkness of the wall. His chest went tight. A dream. Ahsoka was scared, she was so scared and it was a nightmare. “We can wake her up!”_

_“Anakin, no, we need to leave and we can-” Obi-Wan’s grip on his robes tightened and he began hauling Anakin backwards._

_Something in him twisted in time with the next lightning strike. Obi-Wan was trying to stop him. He was going to abandon Ahsoka. Anakin wouldn’t leave her! He couldn’t! Never ever!_

_“We have to save her!” He twisted desperately in his robes, trying to loosen Master Obi-Wan’s grip._

_The room tilted further, and they both reflexively dropped into a crouch. Obi-Wan’s hands were hot on his back and a frigid wind howled out of the hole, pushing pitch black smoke into the room. The Force swelled with warning and Anakin ripped himself free of his outer robe, jumping and twisting to fall. She was in there, in that darkness. He could help her, he just had to reach her first!_

_He rolled as he landed, facing backwards in time to see Obi-Wan land next to him._

_Lightning struck, no, lasted, electricity?_

_Anakin turned and there was Ahsoka, her lightsaber pushed through a thick door of some kind. She was older than him here. A Senior Padawan or a new Knight. She clung, face twisted with pain and grim determination, to her saber hilt. Practically leaning into the door and dangerously close to the molten metal, as if she didn’t have the strength to stand on her own. Anakin got up, tilting forward to sprint to her when the next wave hit._

_Ahsoka howled, eyes slamming shut as tears streamed down her face. She was being electrocuted. She was being **hurt**. The twisting tore free, and it felt like his heart was being ripped to shreds._

_“No!” Anakin skidded to a halt, lifting his hands to pull her away with the Force. No one was allowed to hurt her!_

_“Anakin,” Obi-Wan grabbed him, pinned his arms, “Anakin stop. We don’t know what will happen if you interfere!”_

_Anakin twisted, choking on a sob as the electricity just wouldn’t stop. His mother flashed before his eyes, hunched in pain from the collar’s never ending shock. “Master please!”_

_In the barest moment that Obi-Wan’s arms loosened, Anakin twisted free and threw himself into her. He knew that this wasn’t a dream or a memory. Or at least it wasn’t only that. It couldn’t be. The Force surged through him again, trying to warn him far too late for Anakin to stop even if he’d wanted to._

_They flew backwards, clattering to the ground and the door hissed open without her there to weld it shut. Anakin froze, looking up in fear as darkness suffused into the air around them. A Sith. She’d been holding out a Sith. The old man cackled, hands held limp in front of him as he stepped forward._

_“Ahsoka Tano…” the light left was just enough to reveal Palpatine’s face, “mine at last.”_

_Something horribly cold dripped from his friend’s fingers, turning into a blue mist and swirling lazily around him. The malevolent feeling in the Force left him feeling sick. Anakin was rooted to the spot. That was his friend, Palpatine was his friend, he couldn’t be…Anakin reached out in the Force, and Palpatine’s gaze snapped to him. When their eyes met Anakin couldn’t see a thing of his friend left. Two yellow eyes narrowed in confusion and then fury, before his sunken face went completely blank._

_“How unfortunate that you must see this,” Palpatine hissed throwing his hands out._

_Obi-Wan had jumped between them, wrapping his body around Anakin’s smaller frame to protect him. Ahsoka had leapt in front of both of them. Now the older armored woman again, hands held up and forcing the mist around all three of them. It still screamed in the Force- a thousand voices howling in fear and fury, burning hot and biting cold. Anakin couldn’t breath, his lungs stuttering and throat closing up as pure darkness tried to envelope him. There were whispers too. That horrible, rasping respirator he heard in his own nightmares._

_“It’s over Anakin,” Obi-Wan spoke so softly, so calmly, infusing himself with the light side of the Force. Ahsoka’s outline had turned into pure energy that hurt to look at. The darkness slid off of them, and Anakin forced the darkness away from him. He let go of the fear and the anger to push his own light out to them. An endless well to draw from. White fire flickering off the arms holding him up as his Master commanded, “Wake up.”_

Anakin gasped, coughing as he flailed to the floor. He scrambled on his hands and knees to Ahsoka’s bed and began to shake her. He couldn’t breath and he couldn’t stop crying, the tears rolling over his cheeks and splattering on Ahsoka’s face burned. As soon as her eyes snapped open, as soon as she started to scream, Anakin finally caught his breath. If she could scream, she was alive. She was alive. He collapsed nearly onto her, curling up to hold her close.

She clung to him as if the world was ending. His head throbbed as someone else wrapped them both up, he looked up to find Obi-Wan’s frantic blue eyes scanning over them both as he pulled them down from the bed and into his lap.

Anakin cried for both his friends. The one he’d lost and the one he still had. He cried until his throat burned. Whimpering in his Master’s arms until he exhausted himself.

“Healer’s,” Obi-Wan croaked, staggering to his feet as if he was wrapped in a hundred pounds of chains. Still he tried to pick Anakin up, shuffling awkwardly with both of them half in his arms.

“I can walk,” Anakin whispered, feeling light headed as the Force left him.

“That’s not-”

Their door gave the emergency signal before opening, Master Koon literally sliding to a halt with Masters Yoda and Windu on his heels. The three council members stared at them and Anakin felt like he was swallowing sand. Master Koon’s bond, Anakin had forgotten about it. But… They couldn’t know, they couldn’t-they didn’t know what it was they saw and if the Council thought Palpatine was really-

But he was wasn’t he?

Ahsoka whimpered hands covering her head as she rocked in pain. Anakin quickly loosened his grip, only for Master Koon to scoop her up.

“Masters…” Obi-Wan started, pausing and huffing a laugh before picking Anakin up properly this time. He tried to struggle but his body was done, it felt like he was hovering a few inches outside of his own skin. Master Obi-Wan’s voice was painfully loud as he almost whispered. “We were just off to the Halls of Healing. Perhaps we can have this conversation there.”

“More?” Master Windu asked, cautiously stepping forward and scanning Anakin for injuries. “You alright Padawan?”

“Yes Master Windu,” Anakin mumbled, vision blurring.

The two men looked at one another over her before Mace smiled back down at him. “Good. Rest up then.”

Childishly, Anakin wanted to complain that it was unfair to get this many Force Suggestions in one evening. Based on the sudden hysterical laughter from his Master, the idea probably came across anyways.

When Anakin woke up this time, his first thought was that he had another case of Force burnout. His head throbbed painfully and there was a soft hissing sound in his ears, also he was hooked to an IV drip. Slowly shaking his head Anakin looked around carefully to avoid getting dizzy. One bed over was Obi-Wan, asleep and on his own drip. Two over was Ahsoka, who was awake and speaking quietly with Master Yoda. Anakin grinned a little as she scrunched her face up, clearly having trouble finding the right words, and snorted when Master Yoda reach out and tapped her on the nose.

“Good to have you with us again Skywalker.” Master Windu spoke softly but Anakin still jumped. “My apologies for startling you.”

The small tug at the corner of his lips let Anakin know that Master Windu wasn’t really that sorry. He rolled his eyes.

“We already spoke with Obi-Wan. Master Yoda is getting Ahsoka’s version of it, and if you don’t mind I’d like to hear your side.” Mace leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled and one leg crossed over the other. His eyes flicked to a small glass of water by Anakin’s elbow.

Anakin drank slowly and put his thoughts in order. “We, well, I was having a dream about my geography test. I guess I’m worried about it, ‘cause I hadn’t studied or attended classes I guess. It was pretty normal until the lightning started. Then Master Obi-Wan was there and he said we were in Ahsoka’s dream…it didn’t feel like a dream? Like, I don’t know.”

He huffed, rolling his eyes and tried to gather his thoughts a little more coherently than that. “I just knew it wasn’t a dream, and Ahsoka was in trouble so I jumped through the hole into the dark where she was. She was getting shocked so I tackled her out of the way, and, uhm, there…”

Master Windu’s face was open but unreadable. Anakin swallowed another few sips of water, as his nerves washed over him. Why was he so anxious about this?

“You tackled her and then?”

Anakin could feel his heart beating faster. “There was a Sith sir.”

“Did you know him?”

Something started beeping loudly, Anakin tried to keep his breathing deep and steady as he fought his own tongue. “No. Wait, that’s, I don’t?”

“Peace,” Master Windu whispered, his voice soft and round. Like fine sand running down his face. “Be at peace Anakin. Did you know the Sith?”

“How did you know it’s a him?” Anakin asked back, blood rushing to his head as he gripped his water glass. “Why does it matter?”

Mace’s gaze felt peircing, like Anakin was seeing two superimposed images. One concerned and one damning.

Anakin wanted to tell him but he just, he knew he couldn’t! When Master Windu didn’t continue, Anakin bit out a tense, “Why do you need to know?”

Mace tilted his head slightly. “It’s alright Anakin, **be at peace**. Continue. Please.”

Anakin swallowed, shaking his head roughly and letting the wave of dizziness wash over him. The lies cut as they passed his lips. “He knew Ahsoka, and then he saw me and-I don’t remember. He said something to me. Then Ahsoka got all weird and Obi-Wan turned into fire, and I woke up.”

Mace nodded, “Alright. Thank you for the report Padawan. Get some more sleep, it’s early still.”

This time Anakin fought the suggestion, his heart racing and the annoying beeping had only gotten louder. His jaw clenched as he glared. “I want to see Ahsoka.”

“She’s right there, but she’s still busy. I promise she’ll be here when you wake up.”

The wrongness crept up his arms. They were going to do something to her, he just knew it. “I’ll stay up then, I’ll wait for her.”

“There’s no need. She’s safe. Go to sleep Anakin.” Master Windu stood now, one hand stretched out to reinforce the suggestion.

“That’s ok!” Anakin sat up, trying to swing his legs out of the bed. Someone restrained him and Anakin struggled, kicking his legs out and twisting every way he could. There was a hot then cold sensation in his arm. And he instantly felt exhausted. Drugged. They were drugging him. Tears built up in his eyes as his body went limp. “Don’t, please! Master…please…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: Anakin gets Baby's First Frequent Flyer Card for the Halls of Healing, and everyone starts dealing with the aftermath of Sith Compulsions.


	11. Everything's Broken but That's Actually for the Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin wakes up in the Halls of Healing with a headache, missing memories, and the people he loves. Plans are made and Yoda thinks he's very clever.

Anakin woke slowly, groggily blinking his eyes and hissing as pain lanced through his head.

“Ani!” Ahsoka screamed in his face, from way,  **way**  too close.

“Ow! Shh!” Anakin begged, flinching as she jammed her face up into his. He struggled to figure out what was happening. “My head hurts.”

Ahsoka ducked down, darting in to give him a quick hug before she reached out for something. It looked like a remote. Oh, wait, Halls of Healing? Right. Wait.

“Why are we in the Halls of Healing?” He asked, squinting as she curved in towards herself.

Ahsoka spoke softly towards her boots, her voice stilted as she took her time to clearly choose the words she wanted. “‘m-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get you hurt. Do you remember what happened?”

“Uh,” Anakin wracked his brain, he could almost feel where the memories were supposed to slot into place. And the gaping emptiness where they weren’t. “We were…we were cleaning up and Obi-Wan tricked us into bed.”

There was a pause as Anakin realized he was waiting for a rush of anger to follow that, but none came. He half stated, half asked, “I was… upset about that.”

Ahsoka looked at him critically, and for the first time in a while he remembered she was a Jedi Knight. Her gaze was piercing and his skin crawled as she gently manipulated the Force around them. It made him shrink a bit.

“I don’t like making people do stuff.” he said meekly, picking at his robes. “Did…did I fight it?”

“No,” Ahsoka looked over her shoulder briefly, as if worried about someone listening in. “You thought it was funny and you laughed at me because I did fight it- a little bit.”

Anakin frowned, his stomach dropping slightly. No, that didn’t sound right did it? He would have helped her. “I wouldn’t think it was funny, it’s not…I don’t like it.”

“When did you start, hmm, disliking Force suggestions?” She had one arm tucked under the other, crossed loosely across her chest. Head tilted in curiosity. There was something important to questions but he wasn’t sure what.

Stars his head  **hurt,**. “I dunno, for a while? Did you call a healer, my head is killing me!”

Ahsoka picked up the remote and pressed the button.

The one he assumed she’d already hit.

Chills shot down from his head, shivering, pulsing little electrical veins filling with ice. Something was really, really wrong. Something about him. He swallowed roughly and asked,“What’s wrong?”

Ahsoka smiled so sadly at him that she might as well have slapped him. “I kriffed up.”

“Language!” He snapped, his mind latching onto the easiest thing it could, right as one of the healer’s got there.

“Welcome back Padawan Skywalker. Initiate Tano, I must ask that you remain calm and not antagonize my patient or you will need to leave.” The young man quickly checked a few read outs before sitting on the edge of Anakin’s bed. “How are you feeling Padawan?”

“I have a headache…and I’m cold.” Anakin grumbled before looking back over at Ahsoka. He wished the healer wasn’t here so he could find out where Ahsoka had learned that kind of language, and then lecture her about it.  _That’s not why you want him gone._

But he didn’t leave, instead the healer asked more questions, drew blood, and generally was a nuisance. Ahsoka hopped off the bed and tapped something out on her com unit, standing quietly off to the side and refusing to make eye contact. His heart kicked, but Anakin managed to keep his mouth shut and wait. This check up was taking forever. He perked up when Master Obi-Wan arrived, but he only smiled wanly before sitting down in one of the visitors chairs and made no move to save him.

Anakin sent a small wave of annoyance down their bond, and jerked when it felt brittle. Like he’d taken a step out on a crumbling bridge. That wasn’t right. Their bond was strong! This wasn’t right! Anakin looked at him wide eyed, “Master?”

“It’s alright Anakin,” Obi-Wan said softly, “I know it doesn’t feel like it, but we’re alright and we can fix the damage.”

The damage-Anakin switched, grasping at his bond with Ahsoka to find it holding on by the thinnest threads of spider silk. He slammed back into himself, one wrong move would snap their bond like a twig. Anakin hadn’t noticed how quiet it was in his head, it was so quiet and lonely without them there. He didn’t want it to be like before-yes he did! Anakin wanted…he wanted them back.

The healer finally finished, he said something about Anakin being in good health, before nodding at them and giving his Master a pointed look as he left.

Anakin had barely opened his mouth to ask any one of the questions buzzing around his mind, when Ahsoka leapt back onto his bed and snuggled back into his side. Obi-Wan watched them with a sort of resigned tiredness before standing up and sitting on the edge of his bed. His master looked at him carefully before asking, “You don’t remember then?”

Anakin looked down at Ahsoka’s head, as if the right answer was written between her montrals. “…no?”

“There was…an incident. Our proximity and bonds with Ahsoka drew us into a situation we should not have been in. We interfered and accidentally let a Sith into her mind.” Obi-Wan paused watching for some sort of reaction.

Anakin’s chest felt tight, and he knew, he knew this was what they thought he needed to know. Anxiety flared up as he considered why. Obi-Wan wouldn’t let a Sith in, but Anakin knew he could be rash. He’d done something, it hurt Ahsoka, it hurt their bonds, and now…His emotions felt like a stone finally settling in a boiling pot of water. The Jedi were going to throw him out, because he wasn’t special, and he had hurt a child. And they wouldn’t make excuses for him anymore.

“We knew the Sith.” Obi-Wan prompted, but when Anakin just numbly stared back he continued, “Anakin…the Sith is Chancellor Palpatine, and he-do you remember when Mace spoke with you?”

It felt like he should be more emotional about that. Despite the way his mind flicked through options and reasons for his dismissal, Anakin found it easy enough to still follow along with Obi-Wan. So he was an accessory to, what, Sith-dom? He was too close to the source then. Palpatine was-had been his friend. There was a small curl of anger in him at that. Friends didn’t lie like that to each other, they didn’t hurt one another. Anakin had known he was still a tool to many people, he’d just thought Palpatine wasn’t one of them.

He didn’t know what the Jedi would do with a Sith. He didn’t understand the politics of the Republic still. Anakin just hoped that it would be done quickly. He shifted uncomfortably as he waited for the anger or the betrayal to really kick into gear.

“No.” Anakin said, shaking his head slightly.

“There were, compulsions he left in you. Not many, luckily, none too deep. Removing them was delicate work and caused a bit of damage, hence the bonds. Do you understand?” Obi-Wan asked, one hand resting gently over Anakin’s.

Oh, that answered so many questions then. Anakin really  **was**  an accessory to Sithness. Compulsions, they’d gone over those in class. They were, in essence, a long con by Force users to make others bend to their commands. Those being controlled rarely knew it was happening. Anakin was lucky that they’d been found and successfully removed without hurting him, he knew that.

He didn’t feel lucky.

“Yes,” he mumbled, his whole body was pins and needles. “How long do I have?”

“How lo-no, no! You’re fine! Anakin, you’re going to be fine!” Obi-Wan twisted, pulling one leg up on the bed to turn and face him. His knee pressed awkwardly into Anakin’s hip and his hand gripped tighter.

Anakin rolled his eyes, “I got that, I mean how long do I have here?”

Obi-Wan looked over towards Ahsoka, like he was looking for guidance and it just made Anakin bristle. Yeah, he’d gotten that far too. They would continue on and just cut out the middleman. Anakin wanted to push her away, snap at her for chewing on his tunics, but he was just too tired. He couldn’t even put up a fight against his own fate. It was pathetic.

“A few hours for observation, then we can leave.” Obi-Wan spoke slowly.

“You don’t have to be obtuse Mast-just…” Anakin sighed. “When am I supposed to leave the Temple then? Is there paperwork- what am I saying, there’s always paperwork! Something to release the Order from responsibility at least.”

Ahsoka jerked back and stared at him with wild eyes, then sniffed and starting crying. Softly hissing at him, “Anakin you-you are so drama-you’re so stupid! Stop it!”

Obi-Wan looked gobsmacked. He shook himself, physically shook his body before shifting to lie on the bed next to Anakin. A split second later he was enveloped in a hug. “You are my Padawan Anakin, you’re my little brother and a Jedi. This, this is not your fault.”

Why would he say that? Unless it was true. It felt true. Anakin wanted it to be…he reached out into the Force and gasped.

The veil lifted with one last growl, and Anakin shook. “Oh. So I’m not…?”

“No, of course not,” Obi-Wan whispered into his hair. “Never.”

Anakin knew he should feel smothered between them. With Ahsoka clinging and crying on one side, and Obi-Wan holding him on the other. Hot tears on his neck and warm breath in his hair. Anakin shivered, frowning at his own waiting expectancy. Why would he feel smothered? He loved them, and they loved him. They still wanted him and he wanted them. Anakin weakly grasped for their hands.

“Why do I feel so strange?” He whispered, turning to look up at his Master’s face. His Master and…his brother.

Obi-Wan smiled, but his eyes watered. “Sith compulsions subtly change the way you think. After a few years of having them, you may be…expecting them to guide you. Or at least that is the best guess we have after consulting a few experts in the field.”

Something had been controlling him for years. His friend had. He’d been  **used**. Anakin scrunched his nose up as his heart began to pound. Like all the other strong emotions it still felt weirdly like he was standing on an invisible ledge, just waiting to fall off it. He should be outraged. He whispered roughly, “I don’t like it.”

“No, I’d assume not.”

Ahsoka had finally trailed off into small hiccuping bursts, one arm wiping at her nose ineffectually as she pulled her control back. It struck him that he wasn’t annoyed by it at all, that she wasn’t “ruining” his tunic. Clothes were just, well, clothes. They could be washed or replaced here at the temple. What was even the point of making him annoyed at something like that?

“Meditation.” Ahsoka miserably huffed, glaring at the shining little trails on her sleeve.

Anakin grinned a little bit at the sight, especially when his mind brought up the armored woman doing the same. He could hardly equate the two right now, but the glare was probably the same. “What for?”

Ahsoka said, “You! For, for decoup-UGH-undoing the, hmp! Stupid!”

His good humor died up at the look of absolute frustration she shot at his belt. Anakin gently nudged her with his elbow. “Hey, take your time.”

“It’s for-” Obi-Wan started, and Anakin glared to cut him off. She wasn’t ever going to learn if Master Obi-Wan kept speaking for her!

“To uncouple your physical reaction and mental…conditioning. You gotta meditate to, mmmmm, stop it? Learn to stop it. You’re gonna learn it ok.” Ahsoka finally looked back up at him. “You’re gonna be ok?”

He wanted to say that of course he would be ok. That there was no reason for him not to be. He wanted to insist it would be fine. Anakin bit his tongue and wondered if he really meant it or if some left over hoodoo meant it for him. He closed his eyes, turning inwards gingerly to avoid even so much as bumping the bonds. His mother’s words were always there for him. Look in your heart Ani. What does it tell you?

“I think so. I hope so.” Anakin shrugged, suddenly restless. “I can’t just give up…but what happens now?”

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka looked at one another seriously, before turning back to him. “The Council is working on that Anakin, we can’t just arrest him without causing trouble for the Order. He is the Chancellor of the Republic after all.”

“So we can’t make the first move,” Anakin grumbled, rolling his eyes. “So who can?”

“It’s part of what we’re-”

“I’m so  **stupid** ,” Ahsoka whispered, eyes wide as she looked at them.

Anakin bristled on her behalf, snapping, “Hey! What did I say about poodoo thinking?”

“Shut up Anakin!” Ahsoka ignored his bewildered stare in favor of looking at Obi-Wan. “Padme.”

Obi-Wan blinked rapidly, as if rolling the idea in his head. “Queen Amidala? What could…she could request Jedi investigation and with who we’d be investigating-”

“No Senate.”

Anakin wiggled a little to free himself from Obi-Wan’s grip, sitting up slowly and delighted that the pain killers were finally working. He took back most of his uncharitable thoughts towards the healers. “So he can’t know in advance.”

“Yes but how do we contact her without tipping our hand?” Obi-Wan gently stroked his mustache, clearly too caught up in whatever details he could see to take the easy path.

Anakin took pity on him. “Uhm, I’ve just been seriously injured and could use some time to recover. On a peaceful planet with a lot less, you know, activity in the Force? Maybe somewhere in the Chandrilla sector?”

“You could call and tell her. ‘Cause you’re friends.” Ahsoka added almost smugly.

“She switches out and we’re clear to talk.” Anakin added, grateful to shake off the weird not quite feeling feelings. Something to focus on other than his turning emotions, and apparently meditation.

“Gets Ani away too.” Ahsoka added.

Anakin’s head tilted before he flushed with-with shame? It felt like anger, but he knew the bite of shame anywhere. It was a good point. He still hated it.

“Alright, what about you?” Obi-Wan asked, now sitting back up straight and proper. As if he hadn’t been on the verge of tears a few minutes prior. Anakin envied him that ability. “We don’t have a reason to take you with us, but surely we can’t leave you here now that he’s aware.”

Ahsoka motioned towards her head and frowned, “Dunno. Master Mace isn’t done.”

Anakin blinked rapidly as he tried to swallow that one. He’d been doing better with Master Windu since Ahsoka’s arrival, but he wasn’t sure what to make of someone referring to the Head of the Order with such familiarity. First names were more of an apprenticeship thing, and the thought made Anakin jolt slightly. He clenched his jaw and shook his head when she looked at him curiously, it wasn’t even his jealousy.

Anakin finally gave in a little when he could feel Ahsoka attempting to reach him over their bond. It cause a small thrill of panic to race through him, and unwilling to let it be damaged he muttered, “I really hate this.”

She gave him a strained smile but didn’t push.

“Wait,” he said, brain finally catching up to what she’d actually said, “what do you mean Master Windu isn’t done?”

“There was some damages left behind after-”

“Master, you need to let her speak!” Anakin huffed.

Obi-Wan looked both sheepish and churlish. “I was just trying to help.”

“Ok, thanks, please don’t?” Anakin grumbled and looked at Ahsoka.

She grinned back at him, in what was far too evil of a manner for a child, before saying, “I don’t mind!”

“I appreciate that, but Anakin is right.” Master Obi-Wan conceded with just a hint of a stern look.

“Ok,” Ahsoka said with a shrug, “there was some damages left behind.”

When Obi-Wan snorted, Anakin buried his face in his hands. “This is serious!?”

Ahsoka pouted, “ ‘m always serious!”

“The point,” Obi-Wan cut in, “is that they are shoring up her shields.”

The idea that Ahsoka’s shields,  **Ahsoka’s shields** , were somehow damaged so badly as to need repair from Master Windu was unfathomable. It was like trying to understand the sheer size of something without a comparison point. Had it been that bad? Anakin tried to remember, desperately reaching for those empty spots searching for the memories that wouldn’t come. He’d accidentally let a Sith into her mind, but he hadn’t really considered what that could mean. Anakin felt light headed as he thought about what must have happened for him to over power her shields. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around it. It was like hearing that he’d created a black hole, or cracked a planet in half.

“How did I do that?” Anakin whispered.

“You didn’t,  **he**  did.” Ahsoka shrugged, eyes nervously flitting away from him and hunching in on herself.

Anakin didn’t know what to think about that.

“What if Master Plo came with us?” Obi-Wan asked, either unaware of their feelings or brushing past them. “He could still work with you and us, as we all have bonds to repair. Surely that is reason enough for you to come while still addressing your issue?”

Ahsoka tried to answer when Master Yoda tapped on the door frame with his gimer stick.

Anakin rapidly blinked as if it would make the intrusion any less invasive or sudden.

“Excuse my interruption, please,” Master Yoda looked at him with a gentle smile. “Good to see you awake again. How do you feel, hm?”

“Weird. Better? Uh, I think I need some more time.” Anakin flubbed his way through what felt like a simple answer and hoped his whole face hadn’t gone red.

“Yes, time will help. Yes. Good this change may be, difficult as well!” Master Yoda chuckled, before frowning. He cut right to the point. “Asking for you the Chancellor is.”

Anakin’s heart felt like it had exploded.

“We can’t possibly-”

“No!”

“Calm yourselves, calm. Peace. Explained that unwell you are. But, perhaps, best if we discuss your health.” Master Yoda gave them a significant look, eyes lingering just a hair longer than Anakin was comfortable with.

“We were,” Obi-Wan paused to clear his throat, “we were thinking that a meditative retreat would be best. Perhaps somewhere quiet that we are comfortable, with allies to the Order, and our anonymity would be respected. I was thinking a temperate world as well, maybe some water?”

Anakin was amazed he didn’t die from embarrassment. That wasn’t even subtle at all!

“A destination in mind, you have?”

“Yes, but perhaps it is best not to say specifically.” Obi-Wan smiled, “That said, I was thinking perhaps Master Plo and Ahsoka could use this time to rebuild their bond as well.”

Anakin looked at Ahsoka desperate for someone he could commiserate with, because there was few things more obnoxious than adults acting as if they were very clever, but Ahsoka was all smiles even as she rubbed at her puffy eyes. He caught himself before trying to broadcast his boredom to her. Anakin couldn’t wait until their bonds were repaired.

Master Yoda chuckled, “Yes, yes, a good suggestion! Call Master Plo I will. Then off with you!”

“Thank you Master, I can certainly tell you more about our plans when we return.” Master Obi-Wan said with a small bow.

“Plans?” Master Yoda said with a smirk, already halfway out of his room, “Plans for what? Recovery, you should focus on.”

Anakin flopped backwards in his bed and winced as his head throbbed. He hated that. No, he, well, Anakin hadn’t liked that. It felt like Master Yoda had dismissed them but clearly he hadn’t? He was just giving them leeway and himself some plausible deniability. So why did it bother him so much? Anakin frowned at the ceiling and hated the way his lower lip trembled as the brunt of his confusion washed over him. He closed his eyes, and began to concentrate on his breathing.

Ahsoka’s meditation suggestion looked better and better as he breathed through the waves, drifting along the currents of the Force. Finding his own emotions slowly but surely with his Master and Padawan by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: We finally go to Naboo for swimming lessons and healing. Oh, and planning to overthrow a government via coup/rebellion/etc, that's in there too.


	12. Sanctuary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We FINALLY make it to Naboo just in time for a pleasant surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey this story somewhat lives! :D Big thanks to everyone who helped calm my nerves over this chapter and finally get it finished!

The trip to Naboo was uneventful itself; which, all things considered, Anakin wasn’t going to complain about. He’d spent the majority of his time sleeping or sitting close to Obi-Wan’s side, curling into his Master and doing his best to not feel upset about Master Plo’s presence especially since he wasn’t sure if he actually  **was** upset about it. Master Plo had spent the time in transit in the cockpit, delighting in having Ahsoka explain the controls to him and having her tell him what to do. It was like a cross between a guessing game and a memory game, and it made Anakin’s head throb with pain.

Partially it was hearing their voices bounce and echo strangely in their little shuttle, and partially because he could feel the way Master Plo was subtly strengthening his bond with Ahsoka. Each new connection rang in his head, high pitched like metal on metal. Master Obi-Wan simply held him close, reading out of a datapad in his free hand and bouncing his leg up and down with nervousness.

After Master Yoda’s visit Anakin had fallen into an exhausted sleep, only waking when Master Obi-Wan woke him gently to leave the Temple. He’d been reassured that just like before he would experience a lot of lethargy, and Obi-Wan had promised they’d both be resting this time so it wouldn’t be awkward. But considering the multitude of passwords he’d entered into his pad Anakin was pretty sure it was from the Council.

“Master, this is a retreat.” Anakin whispered roughly as another sickening plinking sounded over his bond with Ahsoka. “You are supposed to be relaxing.”

“I am relaxing,” Obi-Wan muttered as his leg began to bounce faster.

Anakin rolled his eyes, wincing and rubbing at his forehead as Ahsoka’s laughter echoed back to them. “I disagree.”

Obi-Wan gently pinched his arm, a small smile in place as he glanced over. Softly, faintly in the hollow spot in Anakin’s mind he could feel the gentle teasing of sunshine. He tried to absorb it, to have the warm heat sink into his skin, only for the Force to quiver and push him away from the danger. Their bond needed a proper shared meditation to rebuild, when Anakin had tried he’d only fallen asleep. A small bubble of despair grew and popped in his throat.

“Dropping out of hyperspace,” Master Plo called back moments before the ship lurched slightly into real space. “I believe we can use the comms now Obi-Wan.”

There was that not feeling swirling around him. Anakin did his best to hid his frustration behind his shields. Logically there was no reason to be upset over Master Plo being familiar with his Master.  _ He’s trying to replace Master Qui Gon! _ It was a foolish thought. Roughly hewn and untrue, but Anakin couldn’t fully shake it either. His stomach dropped as he waited to either become angry or to become calm. 

By the time he re-centers, Master Obi-Wan is fiddling with their comm unit and Ahsoka is staring at him. Her eyes shine even as her face blanks, as if she’s trying to hide how upset she is. Anakin quickly gets up to hug her. He tried to apologize earlier but that just made her  **more** upset. She doesn’t need to worry about him on top of it.

_ She thinks you’re weak. _ Anakin ignores the whisper, he’s getting better at recognizing it as something else. Something other. He drops a kiss on her head before moving to stand with his Master as is appropriate. Ahsoka scoots just a hair closer to them.

Obi-Wan grumbles, “Blasted crossed wires!” his go to phrase when technology is confusing to him, and then the call finally connects.

“Master Kenobi, this is an unexpected surprise.” Queen Amidala’s voice is nearly flat, but there is no mistaking the twinkle in her eyes.

Anakin feels like he’s swallowed his tongue. She’d been beautiful before, but somehow he’d forgotten just  **how** beautiful.

Obi-Wan bows deeply, and belatedly Anakin follows suit. Ahsoka is just staring as if she’s never seen Padme before. It strikes him that that can’t be right, Ahsoka spoke as if she had at least met Padme a few times, even if she’d declined to talk more about it. Anakin tries to make eye contact with his Padawan, but fails miserably. That only dampens his mood for a moment before Obi-Wan drags him back to the here and now.

“A pleasant one I hope. My apologies, regardless, for the intrusion,” Obi-Wan places his hands to rest lightly on Anakin’s shoulders and he can feel the briefest touch of pain and fear from his Master. It feels like twisting in his gut, like shivering under blankets, and passes. For one irrational moment Anakin wonders if he should feel so proud that it was shared or not. “May I speak freely?”

Padme’s eyes flick up and to the side, ensuring comm security before looking back at him. Her voice truly hers once again as she smiles. “Of course, I encourage it Master Kenobi.”

“Just Obi-Wan will do, thank you. I’m sure you remember Anakin?” Obi-Wan pats his shoulders absentmindedly, and this time Anakin is pretty sure he did swallow his tongue and that the new much more pleasant twisting in his guts is all his own.

“How could I forget little Ani!” Padme smiles at him and it’s like being bathed in pure, crisp sunlight.

“Hi!” He chirps, rocking slightly back and forth on his feet, casting desperately for something to say before settling on pleasantries. “It’s good to see you again.”

“And you,” Padme turns her curious gaze over to Ahsoka who has frozen up completely. “And who might this be?”

Anakin and Obi-Wan both wait expectantly, but when Ahsoka simply stares Anakin jumps in, “This is my best friend, Ahsoka!”

He quickly moves from under his Master’s hands to wrap his Padawan up in another hug, this time from behind so Padme and Ahsoka can still talk. If Ahsoka would ever say something. He wishes he could send her anything solid through the bond, that he could hear anything from her. Is she scared? Overwhelmed? Angry? He doesn’t know and it causes a small thrill of panic to race up his back.

“Any friend of Anakin’s is a friend of mine.” Padme says, nodding towards the young togruta.

Ahsoka sniffles with her bottom lip quivering and nods. Anakin finds himself sniffling quietly as well and does his level best not to burst into tears over this in front of two of the most important people in his life. They said it wasn’t his fault, but Anakin knew Palpatine and didn’t notice and let him into Ahsoka’s mind. Their shattered bond and her tattered shields is a testament to the nearly fatal attack. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much if he knew what happened. But he doesn’t, and while Master Obi-Wan had tried to explain what happened in detail it’s just not the same.

Nothing’s the same anymore.

“I’m sorry to cut this all short, but I’m afraid we’re in a bit of a predicament. One with dire consequences for the Order and the Republic.” Obi-Wan speaks softly but the change in all of them is immediate. “We need a place where we can go, secluded and secret if possible. We, and Master Plo Koon who is piloting the ship, have all suffered an attack...from a Sith.”

The change in Padme is immediate, a fire lighting behind her eyes and her face turning to stone. Her voice shifts again, a formal statement. “The Jedi will always have sanctuary on Naboo Master Kenobi. I will see that coordinates are sent to you directly.”

“Thank you,” Obi-Wan slumps slightly with relief. 

Anakin grips Ahsoka tighter as his heart races. He can say with confidence that the fear he’s suddenly feeling is all his own. He just doesn’t know why.

“You’ll be, uhm,” Ahsoka hesitates as Queen Amidala looks at her. Anakin has never,  **ever** seen Ahsoka shrink but she does. “You’ll be there Se-please?”

Queen Amidala’s eyes flick back and forth, something softening behind them as she nods seriously.

“I will endeavor to do so.” The Queen’s eyes flick up again. “I have run out of time here, I will speak with you later. Panaka will provide you with further information. May the Force be with you Master Jedi.”

Her hologram winks out and Anakin gasps as Ahsoka goes limp. “Master!”

Obi-Wan kneels quickly, his face going soft as he takes her hands in his. “It’s alright my dear. We’re alright.”

Ahsoka sobs miserably, nodding and shaking her head at the nearly the same time. Eventually squeaking out, “She’s ok!”

Anakin doesn’t mean to, but his eyes meet Obi-Wan’s and even without the bond the weight of that statement falls heavy. That doesn’t bode well at all. The last time Ahsoka saw Padme, when she was a Knight and big and everything, Padme wasn’t well. He doesn’t know from what or why but he refuses to let it happen if they have even an ounce of control.

He feels like a hollow toy, and scowls at the ethereal weightlessness he feels in place of righteousness. Anakin will not bend his knee, not when he can help two of his friends. No matter what. He reaches within himself and dodges nimbly past the wall of false anger, then grabs his actual anger and resurfaces with nothing more than he started with. Even without it there Anakin still finds his determination. He will help save Padme, he will help Ahsoka, and they will stop the Sith. They have to.

Obi-Wan gently squeezes his shoulder, and softly tells him, “Why don’t you land the ship Anakin?”

It’s a distraction, but Anakin kind of needs a distraction. He just wishes it wasn’t with Master Koon.

When Obi-Wan looks at him, before giving a significant look down at Ahsoka again, Anakin nods and shuffles to the cockpit. Master Koon’s head tilts gently, a soft fuzzy feeling in the Force to welcome him.

“Greetings young Skywalker. I believe I heard Obi-Wan say you would land the ship?”

There’s a feeling in his chest, tightening, grinding, and softening. “Yes Master.”

Master Koon motions him into the co-pilot's seat before asking, “Do you wish to become a Jedi Ace?”

Anakin takes his seat, adjusting the controls quickly to fit him. He takes his time answering not because he isn’t sure, but because this is a Council Member asking him. While Master Koon has been plenty polite and kind, it still seems a bit like a loaded question. The fuzzy feeling in the Force somehow becomes soft, like rabbit fur running across his palm. Master Koon’s earnest attempt to sooth him gets Anakin to answer, “Yeah, but, I don’t know if it’ll happen.”

While Anakin keeps his gaze on the controls, Master Koon clearly is keeping his gaze on Anakin. It makes his stomach flip and he nibbles on his lower lip as the promised coordinates finally ping on the navicomputer. The silence is deafening.

“I mean,” Anakin nervously continues as he changes course and reduces the thruster output, “Master Obi-Wan isn’t, so I don’t think I will be either.”

Master Koon hums thoughtfully, “Why would your Master’s path dictate your own?”

Anakin blinks at the display, mouth opening and closing as he struggles with the question. Why wouldn’t it? The Master tells their student what to do and they do it, and Master Obi-Wan hates flying. He wastes a bit of time in answering by concentrating harder on his vector than anything else, but eventually hedges his answer. “Because he chooses my coursework.”

“Yet you share an apprenticeship. Have you directly expressed your interest to him?” Master Koon asks, reaching out to tap a small correction to the maneuvering thrusters, reducing their burn time to slow their speed before atmospheric entry.

Anakin flushes both from frustration over the questions and from embarrassment over the mistake. “I...no Master.”

“You should,” Master Koon says, tusks tightening up and towards his skull. “It is your education after all.”

“But,” Anakin wishes he could pull his interjection back out of the air and huffs before repeating, “Master Obi-Wan chooses my classes.”

“So you mentioned. Perhaps he does not know what you desire?”

Anakin snorts and does his best to keep the ship steady as it shudders in the dense gases of the stratosphere. “I’ve been flying since he’s known me. How can he not know?”

“Because he can make mistakes, just like anyone else.” 

Anakin fights off a sudden wave of anger, his desire to snap and defend Master Obi-Wan white hot in his throat before it dissolves away as the shuttle breaks through the clouds. Naboo is so full of green and blue, the soft call of the life in it’s water calls softly like wind chimes and for a moment Anakin could swear he smells grass. It’s enough to cut through everything else.

“Hmm,” Master Koon taps on the geographic display, “It appears we will be staying by a rather large lake.”

It takes a moment for that to pierce through his muddled mind, but when it does Anakin can’t help the sudden grin on his face. The best thing in the whole Temple is the swimming pools, and a lake is like a  **giant** swimming pool! 

“Wizard,” he whispered before setting them down gently on the landing pad.

Master Koon chuckles, one hand affectionately squeezes Anakin’s shoulder. “Indeed!”

The air suddenly crackles, the hairs on the back of Anakin’s neck go up, and he’s pretty sure they both lock eyes as the barest, thinnest thread of what could become a Force bond springs to life between them. It’s not a true connection but it’s almost as if Master Plo’s presence in the Force was slightly blurry and has now snapped into place.

“Ani no! That’s my trick!” Ahsoka cries from the back of the shuttle, although her voice is finally full of joy and excitement once again.

Anakin flushes he’s sure a horrendous shade of red. “This is probably your fault anyways!”

“Another adoption Plo?” Obi-Wan calls up with a laugh.

Plo mumbles something unintelligible and Anakin can’t help but like him more for it.

It takes them an additional four hours to unload their bags and take a taxi to the lake. Anakin is perhaps more excited than he should be to get to drive the strange water ship, especially considering the way he gets distracted by the slight mist coming over the bow and the opulence of the lake house they’ll be staying at.

The house, if it can be called that at all, is bigger than he expected. Two blue domes glinting nearly silver in the midday sun. There looks like a few terraced gardens to one side, tall trees gracing the other side of the mansion just above the private dock where Captain Panaka stands ready to greet them with his usual serious frown. His terse nod and greeting are barely noticed as Anakin desperately tries to memorize how lush and calm and wonderful this place is. Like a place out of time. Out of the universe he’s always known. Somewhere truly peaceful. The whole affair isn’t a surprise so much as it is delightful, but when they finally make it into some sort of wide open room he is shocked and freezes in place.

Padme grins at him, wide with all her teeth and little dimples popping forth. The Force around her is churning with mischievous joy as Obi-Wan runs into Anakin’s frozen form. Causing Plo to stop suddenly or suffer the same fate.

“I thought it might be best if I joined you as soon as possible,” Padme says, eyes flicking up to meet Obi-Wan’s as her smile becomes more somber. “If the Sith have returned we have much to discuss.”

“Agreed, however, I believe tonight is not the best night to address this. We are all tired from travel and tomorrow will serve well enough.” Obi-Wan’s suggestion is more to give them time to meditate and rest than anything else. Anakin is still grateful to avoid the conversation for a little longer.

Padme nods solemnly before looking at their companion. “You must be Master Plo Koon, a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise your Majesty.” Master Plo stepped around them just enough to bow. “I have heard much about you, and while I am sorry it under these circumstances it is an honor."

Padme’s smile finally turned to him, a promise in her gaze, before looking over at Ahsoka. “Hello Ani, and this is Ahsoka yes?”

“It’s really good to finally see you again, well I mean in person, not that it wasn’t nice in holo. But this is different. You know?” Anakin cut himself off before quickly looking for an excuse to not focus on his poor excuse of a greeting. It was then that he realized that Ahsoka had not rocketed into Padme the way she normally greeted her “old” friends. He gave a small tug at her sleeve only to get his hand bit in retaliation. “OW! Uhm, don’t worry Padme! Ahsoka really likes you and she’s worried you won’t like her, which is ridiculous.”

Without the bond he doesn’t really know, but the white lie is apparently close enough to the truth.

“Ani no!” Ahsoka wailed, glaring up at him with watering eyes.

He shot a glance between Ahsoka and Padme before motioning between them.

Luckily Padme seemed to understand, and crouched down with a smile. “Well it seems the best way to find out is to meet isn’t it? So far I like you very much!”

Ahsoka sniffed, rubbing at her eyes and shuffled awkwardly before stomping forward and finally hugging Padme. Where she immediately half crawled up Padme’s crouched form until she’s being held, and then stubbornly glares at them as if daring them to tell her she has to come down. Padme takes the intrusion in stride, standing once again but now holding the agitated child in her arms. 

There’s a beat of silence where Anakin is dimly aware that the three of them are watching Ahsoka and Padme with baited breath, and then bursts into laughter when no bond springs magically to life. The Force does strange things around Padme, but this apparently is a step too far. He smirks up at Master Koon, “I suppose we took our weekly allotment of Force miracles Master Plo.”

“Thank goodness,” Obi-Wan mutters.

“Hey!” Ahsoka yelps  and glares over her shoulder and pointedly hugs Padme tighter. “Don’t laugh on me!”

Anakin decides he will never tell anyone, but the protective way that Padme looks at the girl in his arms is more than enough for him to decide that he’s probably in love.

“No one’s laughing at you, I promise.” Padme said even if she was clearly just going with the flow of their conversation. “Now let’s take this time to center ourselves, I believe we have much to discuss later.”

Master Obi-Wan and Master Plo both start answering at the same time, Anakin is still smiling softly at Padme and Ahsoka when it hits him. Since seeing Padme here, he hasn’t heard a single false whisper. Tears prick at his eyes as Anakin grabs Obi-Wan’s hand. He looks at the ground as Obi-Wan finally responds to Padme’s original offer. “Ah, I believe we shall take our leave. Much has happened.”

Obi-Wan squeezes his hand and Anakin nods quickly. He doesn’t want to, but without the whispers this is the best chance they’ll get to actually meditate clearly.

“Alright,” Padme’s voice is full of concern but Anakin refuses to look up at let her see him crying. “I’ll call you when dinner is ready. Would you mind helping me Ahsoka?”

“Thank you.” Obi-Wan gives a half bow, and Anakin follows suit before stumbling after him to some side room.

It’s going to be a long evening he decides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next, and I want you all to know this is literally c&p from my draft for the chapter summary: 
> 
> AHSOKA IN POOL FLOATIES
> 
> PADME AND PLO MEET AND GREET
> 
> ANAKIN HEALING
> 
> OBI-WAN FAILING MISERABLY TO RELAX


	13. Another Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nervous young dad Obi-Wan realizes something, and immediately has a breakdown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did warn you all he was going to fail at relaxing. CW: Panic Attack

There’s a large splash as Anakin jumps inelegantly off the white garden wall to land in the lake near the docks. Obi-Wan lets one eyebrow lift in amusement. It’s a bit like watching a young oro deer falling through the sky. All gangly limbs. Anakin curls up at the last possible moment to make the largest splash he can, while Ahsoka safely tucked into her tooka themed floats laughs with delight as the waves bob her up in down.

He’d been helping them with swimming lessons for the last half hour, more refresher for them both. Ahsoka had done fine with just the arms floats, but post lesson she’d been so frustrated and tired that Obi-Wan feared a meltdown. Instead Plo had finally left Padme’s side and cajoled her into the inner tube so she could simply bob in the water. Peacefully.

Obi-Wan sighed to himself, knowing that this moment simply couldn’t last.

Their discussion the night before had ended up revolving more around catching up than the Sith. With Ahsoka falling asleep but refusing to be away from Padme for more than a few minutes and Anakin shaken after their meditation, it had only seemed right. Plo kept everyone distracted and busy, which Obi-Wan was grateful for considering he needed it just as much as either padawan. His mind still spinning its wheels as he faked ever ounce of calm cheer. Panicking would benefit no one, and despite the difficulties they had experienced Obi-Wan pettily refused to be out serened by his own padawan. Especially with their near botched meditation not twenty minutes passed.

The meditation had been...difficult wasn’t exactly the right word, but close. They had sunk into the Force together and began rebuilding their bond thread by thread. Laying it block by block together when the echoes had returned. Without the full link Obi-Wan couldn’t take them on. Anakin had shown great strength as he weathered the storm shaking with emotions but still steadfastly helped rebuild their connection. It wasn’t finished, but it was solid now, and Obi-Wan had quickly sprinted across to help push the echoes away.

Count Dooku had warned that these so called echoes might continue for a while, leave and come back. He’d left as much information as possible for them over the holo call as Master Windu and Master Yoda worked swiftly within Anakin’s mind. Obi-Wan had listened carefully to his grandmaster and asked every question that came to mind. Beyond grateful for the years of experience the Count had with Sith lore and artifacts. Obi-Wan had always thought it odd that a Jedi Master would be obsessed with the history of their enemies, and he was never so glad to use that knowledge as he was that night.

Obi-Wan’s breath caught in his throat, eyes watering for one moment before he pushed the anxious urge to check on Anakin away. He had done all he could do.  **Was** doing all he could possibly do for his Padawan. It just...didn’t feel like it was enough. Obi-Wan twisted his fingers together once, then twice, and then forced them to still. Everyone was sure to pick up on his anxiety when they were all so relaxed.

At least that was exactly as they’d expected. Naboo was calm, soothing, and centering. The night had washed away their hurts and the rising sun had brought a hint of optimism to Anakin’s presence. They had slept in luxuriously late, Plo waking them all with the smell of breakfast. Anakin had tentatively reached out to Obi-Wan over the bond while he was in the fresher. The sensation of warmth in his hands, the tranquility of watching tea leaves twist and unfurl in hot water, and sensation of steam brushing over his face was more than enough to convince Obi-Wan that breakfast was more important that fully dressing. He had happily sent his sense of relief over the bond, testing its strength to find it now solidified into something stronger.

They had barely finished breakfast when Ahsoka spotted Padme swimming in the lake, and just like that the rest of his plans for the day were thrown out.

The dishes were left to soak as Anakin herded them all down to the lake for a swim, his disappointment over Padme leaving the water as they arrived only abating when she promised to join them later. Plo had looked down at Ahsoka before asking if she could swim. Anakin had taken to his newest self mandate while Obi-Wan did his best to supervise. While he was not used to being pulled about in nothing but a glorified pair of small clothes by two children, he’d certainly done his best to keep up.

Padme, meanwhile, had been slowly eating a light breakfast, using the excuse of letting the food settle give her more than enough time to grill Master Plo. And of course, now him as well.

Obi-Wan would hand it to her, it was a slick ploy if he’d ever seen one. It gave the “adults” a chance to talk while the “children” were both having fun. He’d made eye contact with Ahsoka who glared at him pointedly before looking at Padme. Yes, it was a well done ploy and would have worked if Anakin and Ahsoka were normal children.

“I assume Plo has filled you in on the broad strokes yes?” Obi-Wan smiled and waved as Anakin splashed enthusiastically in their direction in what he could only assume was some sort of greeting. 

Padme laughed, waving as well. Her voice as light as her expression. “Yes, but he refused to name the Sith or tell me more about  _ why _ Ahsoka was targeted. I am not a fool Master Kenobi.”

Ouch. Obi-Wan leaned backwards into the shade with a slight grimace. “I am well aware, he was merely respecting my request. The answer to both those questions is of a highly sensitive nature to the Order and the Republic. It didn’t seem right to have someone else tell one of my friends about it.”

He didn’t stumble as he said “friend”. When he had already put Anakin to bed and gone to check on Ahsoka, he had been blindsided by her insistence on Obi-Wan calling his friends just that. He’d found it odd, not bad advice by any stretch, but unsure of the root cause he’d nearly let it pass. Alone in his own second meditation he found the moment he called Anakin his brother, the way the warmth of it had chased away the cold surrounding them. The way something in the Force relaxed inch by inch as the three of them had spoken the words aloud. Given them power by giving them shape.

Obi-Wan had been a bit embarrassed to realize he’d forgotten Ahsoka’s true age. She was older than him, had been a Jedi longer than he’d been alive, and he had just tried to brush her wisdom aside. He’d vowed to try harder, even if it was difficult to remember when he could so clearly see a child happily enjoying an afternoon on the lake.

“I...I appreciate that sentiment Obi-Wan, you are my friend,” Padme looked at him a bit of guilt warring with the laser focus she’d worn all morning. “Can you at least tell me now?”

Obi-Wan let the breeze play with his hair as he considered. He doubted anyone would be spying on them here, but as soon as he told her everyone would know she knew. Their afternoon would be soured.

“While I could, I beg your patience. The Sith’s identity will be...deeply troubling to you. Those two will know as soon as you know. I,” Obi-Wan blushed, floundering once more, “I am being selfish, I would like them to have this memory clean and untainted. Once they know they’ll want to be here as well. They’ll need to be here.”

He knew she wouldn’t like his answer, so he only winced when Padme’s frown deepened as she went ice cold in the Force.

“The Sith is from Naboo.” She said without an ounce of inflection. A greater indicator than any that she was furious than any he’d see so far. Obi-Wan quickly wrapped them in a bubble, glancing nervously to see the others still playing and smiling. He could fix this, he just needed-

“I see.” Padme nodded when Obi-Wan didn’t answer. “Perhaps we can go inside then, I think this needs to be addressed. Now.”

For a brief moment he fought the childish urge to deny her again, angry that something as simple as a full day without concerns was denied to them before deflating. No, Obi-Wan rubbed the bridge of his nose hastily, he was not very successful at much these days. He sighed before standing, back popping as he stretched. “As you wish, give me ten minutes.”

Padme had already began walking with her smile back in place she called to the docks, “I promise I’ll be back down to swim with you in a bit. There’s something I’d like to show Master Obi-Wan”

Anakin and Ahsoka glanced at one another, immediately dimming before glaring back up at them. Ahsoka spoke first, pointing to the covered seats they just left, “Okay, we’ll be there. Come back soon.”

Plo nodded, “I will supervise their meditation.”

Anakin groaned dramatically as he hauled himself out of the water. Meditation was probably not what he’d been hoping for, but Obi-Wan sent gentle encouragement to him over their bond. Perhaps he and Ahsoka could finally start to work on their own connection. The idea pushed more easily to Ahsoka who sent back the equivalent of an eye roll and a gentle shove to get moving. Having apparently been the one to suggest it to Plo not thirty seconds before

It took him another five minutes just to change into his trousers and undertunic, but by then his time was apparently up. Standing with his socks in both hands Obi-Wan huffed, “I am unaccustomed to being half dressed for such a long period of time.”

Padme’s glare was tinted with amusement as she waved down at her own outfit. The same damp swimsuit and wrap so she could swim again.

“Ah, yes. A fair point.” Obi-Wan awkwardly cleared his throat. He had of course considered how to break the news to Padme. From bluntly telling her to dancing all around the topic. None of his plans seemed proper now that the time had come. He flexed his toes into the long carpet before taking those tentative first steps. “Ahsoka is...special. In far more ways than I can truly explain, and in some ways I have strict orders to remain silent on.”

Yoda had been clear enough on that point, the datapad he’d been giving outlining exactly what he was and was not allowed to do on this mission, and no talk of time travel was listed at the top. Obi-Wan agreed and waited for Padme to reluctantly nod before continuing. “What I can tell you is that Ahsoka had, well, essentially a very strong and clear vision. She knew who the Sith was. That is why she was targeted. She knew...and the Sith knew that she did. Unfortunately for us, Ahsoka has strong shielding, some of the strongest of any Jedi in the Order and also seems to think she must do things on her own instead of asking for help.”

Padme nodded and Obi-wan continued.

“You must understand, Ahsoka was living on the streets for several years before we found her. She is accustomed to that way of thinking. You, I’m sure, have noticed her odd behaviors.” Obi-Wan roughly ran a hand through his damp hair, pushing it all back and out of his face, doing his best to ignore the pained look that flickered on Padme’s face knowing full well that what he was going to say was worse than that. “She had been attacked nightly by the Sith because she was physically closer to him on Coruscant. She refused to tell us, thinking she was protecting us. Anakin and I were pulled into one of these attacks, due to our connection with her, and consequently discovered the identity of Maul’s master.”

“His master?” Padme’s voice was faint as the color drained from her face. “You are telling me that Maul was a mere apprentice?”

Obi-Wan nodded, finally sitting on the bed and patting the spot next to him. He waited until Padme cautiously sat down before continuing. “Padme, I mean it when I say you are my friend. Please understand that I do not say this in jest, or to hurt you. You are right. The Sith is from Naboo, and we need you to petition the Order directly to investigate.”

“I don’t understand, why circumnavigate the Senate?” Though her voice was still dazed her eyes were sharp and piercing as ever.

He desperately grabbed her hands and held them tight. Mouth opening and closing once before he finally said, “The Sith is in the Senate.”

It was inelegant, and as soon as the words left his mouth Obi-Wan wished he could pull them back. Palpatine’s seat was still empty. There was only one possible way to interpret his statement.

“In the...no. No! That is not possible! He-” Padme pulled on her hands, but Obi-Wan held tighter.

“Padme, I saw him with my own two eyes. I swear I am not lying to you, nor am I confused. The Chancellor is the Sith. He attacked one of our younglings intending to kill her, and when found out he tried to kill myself and Anakin. We were still in the Halls of Healing when he called for Anakin, well before sunrise! Padme he-”

Padme finally pulled one of her hands free, holding it up to silence him. Her face shifting through thoughts and emotions so quickly that Obi-Wan could hardly keep up. 

“If this is true, and I pray it is not, but if this is true…” Padme’s eyes cut hard and she looked at him again. Her anger eclipsed by a hard sort of compassion, shining through brighter and brighter as she spoke. “He used his friendship with me to gain that power. If he is the Sith master, then Maul did not plan on the invasion of Naboo nor did he orchestrate the attack on my palace.”

For one blissful moment his mind couldn’t see the connection, and then it snapped into place.

Palpatine had planned the blockade, the invasion, the attack...Palpatine had chosen his own homeworld to take advantage of a young girl who he mentored. He had done it to make his move on the Senate. “The vote of no confidence.”

“Yes.” Padme’s hiss seems softer than it should be, her lips thinned as she willed him to follow the rest of her logic.

His fingers tingled as he stared at the wall, then the floor. Palpatine had lain in wait for years for the opportune moment to strike, training Maul for who knew how long before...before…

_ The smell of ozone from the shields was overpowering as he stood powerless to help. Why had Qui Gon not waited, they were stronger as a team! Obi-Wan gripped his saber hilt harder to have an outlet somewhere for his confusion and anger.  _

_ The look of shock and pain on his Master’s face as Maul plunged his lightsaber through his chest- Obi-Wan screamed, eyes watering and his fingers tingled as he stared at his Master’s crumpled body. _

“Obi-Wan!” Padme had one arm around his shaking shoulders, her free hand resting over his fists. “Obi-Wan, can you hear me? Do you need a medic?”

His fear and anger from the last week burst like a dam. The rage boiled hot behind his chest, lances of pain as his heart tried to burst. How dare he. How  **_dare_ ** he! Obi-Wan forced himself up from the bed, quickly putting distance between them. A safety net. His mind was split in half. He needed to protect Padme, he needed, stars he needed to protect Anakin and Ahsoka! Had he not lectured Anakin on this very thing!? But he couldn’t form a shield. He couldn’t, he couldn’t, he  **never** could. He never could do  _ anything _ important, just one failure after another. One loss after another-

“No! No, he ordered that-that MONSTER and my Master- he! He killed my Master and tried to kill my Padawan. My Grandpadawan!” Obi-Wan couldn’t stop, he so desperately wanted to stop screaming. “I’ve been a fool! I’ve left him alone with Anakin, that’s ha! You don’t even know about that yet! Sith compulsions! Oh yes, he planted his damned Force compulsions in Anakin’s mind right under my nose and I let him.”

“Obi-Wan,” Padme was at his side again, hand on his arm. Too close. Too close! “Obi-Wan I need you to breath.”

He was breathing! He was breathing perfectly fine! He was-he was? Obi-Wan gasped for air as the world spun dangerously for a moment pitching him into the wall. Strange. This wasn’t how he’d planned this at all. No. No, he’d planned for Padme’s reaction. He hadn’t even thought of this. Had no one else considered it? Some part of him looked at his own memories, trying to see if Master Yoda looked at him with more sympathy than he’d originally noticed. Strange. Terrible and strange. Maul had killed Qui Gon, because Palpatine had told him to. How had he been so blind to this? His thoughts were interrupted by two small strong hands gripping his wrists. Anakin forced his arms open, crawling into Obi-Wan’s lap as he started to cry. 

“Anakin?” Obi-Wan blinked, hands fisted tight enough to hurt in his hair. They cracked and popped as he let go, wrapping his arms around the boy trying to comfort him. Anakin first. Anakin first, but when did Anakin even get here? “When...when did?”

He looked up- up? Wait, when had he sat down? Exhaustion rolled thickly over him as he watched Master Plo speaking to Padme. The ringing in his ears was finally dying off but he still couldn’t quite hear them.

“Oh,” He mumbled as Ahsoka tugged at his sleeve. Her eyes wide and wild, but that look, he’d know that look anywhere from any Jedi Master. Obi-Wan swallowed, nodding slightly as he tried to match her breathing.  _ Peace young one. There is no emotion, there is peace. _

He let the air work for him, mindlessly patting Anakin’s back as he slowly inhaled and exhaled. Panic attacks were nothing new to him, but he’d certainly never had one so disorienting before. That small part of his mind that had split off, always logical and cool under pressure pointed out that he hadn’t had this many shocks this frequently. One week. Stars, it had only been one week.

“You with us?” Ahsoka asked, steel in her voice even as her hands rubbed gentle circles in his arm.

“Yes Master,” Obi-Wan blushed at the automatic response. She deserved the title, that didn’t mean he could go using it willy nilly, “I, yes Ahsoka. Yes. I...yes.”

Anakin’s sobbing hitched and he wiggled until he could wrap his legs around Obi-Wan’s torso. His stomach ached from the pressure but Obi-Wan couldn’t find it in himself to ask Anakin to stop.

“I was very slow on the uptake, regarding what this meant about my own...I didn’t take it very well.” He managed to say at last, answering the question Ahsoka had pressed gingerly over their bond. He sent her the green smell of plants and tea and soil. The feeling of Qui Gon’s large calloused hands as they helped reposition his stance. The solid companionship the last several years of his apprenticeship.

Ahsoka blinked back a wave of tears, smiling softly as she put a hand on his cheek. “I understand.”

Yes, yes, he supposed she would wouldn’t she. Obi-Wan shuddered at the thought as he held Anakin tighter.

“Well, this was not what I thought would happen,” He managed to weakly chuckle, his anger banked due to exhaustion. Obi-Wan yawned, his jaw cracking unpleasantly. 

“Why haven’t you, hmmm, seen a healer?” Ahsoka asked.

His protest was honest if weak. “I did.” 

She gave him an unamused look, one little finger tapping roughly on his cheek bone. “Since?”

“I haven’t needed to see anyone since. I’ve got a handle on it.” Obi-Wan mumbled. “This was, certainly you can agree this was a set of trying circumstances!”

“Trauma stays Obi-Wan. Pain stays, twisting and deepens.” Ahsoka dropped her hand, her arms crossing as she hugged herself. “It scars. It’s ok to need help. I need lots of it!”

“That’s, well that’s different!”

“How?”

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and patted Anakin’s back as his tears finally subsided into small wet gasps. “Ahsoka, you know exactly why. Honestly, I know you look young but I haven’t forgotten.”

“Master Kenobi,” Padme’s voice reached him. Clear and flat, the royal inflection in full swing.

He winced having forgotten she was there at all. Obi-Wan looked down only to find Anakin dead asleep.  _ Goodness that does sound like a good idea. _ Instead, he pushed himself up from the floor one arm holding Anakin up against his chest and the other hand quickly snatched up by Ahsoka. “Your majesty, my sincerest ap-”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Padme huffed, clearly working to hold herself together even as Plo stepped up behind her in support. She let out a large breath before restarting. “Master Kenobi, I would like to formally petition the Jedi Order to investigate Sheev Palpatine. Palpatine’s rise into the the Chancellorship has fallen under suspicion as evidence has been uncovered that he may have had a hand in the Federation’s invasion of Naboo. This matter cannot be ignored, nor can it be delayed. The government of Naboo will be in full cooperation with the Order’s investigation. All records, all documents, every place that evidence may lay is open to you.”

“I ask only that this investigation be made quietly. If this turns out to be false, I do not wish to have harmed the reputation of a good man.” Queen Amidala’s face hardened. “If this turns out to be true I will require a full report to be able to present before the Senate and will require the assistance of the Order to right a grave wrong.”

Obi-Wan gave the slightest incline to his head, the most he could do with a sleeping boy in his arms. “We serve the people of the Republic your majesty, the Jedi Order will begin it’s investigation immediately.”

“In two days.” Padme said.

Obi-Wan blinked. “What?”

“I need time to get information sent back to ‘Queen Amidala’ who is still in Theed, who will need time to grant you this access quietly,” Padme said, “and you need time to recover from the attack. It has been made clear to me that I have pushed you beyond the line, something I never wished to do. Especially not to someone dear to me. Take this time before to rest. When you complete your investigation I highly suggest that you take the time you need to heal properly. All of you.”

Obi-Wan swallowed hard, glancing at Plo’s face for the first time and seeing a sternness he had never seen before. Ah. “Thank you, I...thank you. We will try. I promise you. I, please excuse me.”

Obi-Wan managed to stumble from the room towards the one Ahsoka and Anakin were sharing before realizing he could have simply asked everyone else to leave. To tired to turn back or care, he sat on Anakin’s bed nearly collapsing back. Ahsoka curled up close on his other side and there was a hint of irony to it as she whispered, “Sleep.”

Turnabout's fair play he supposed, and then immediately fell into a dreamless slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papa Koon wrapped his three kids up in a blanket, scolds Padme some more, and them immediately will consider adopting her as well. It's what Qui Gon would have wanted.
> 
>  
> 
> Next time: The investigation will bring a lot of very interesting things to light, the Council makes a decision, and Ahsoka remembers some rather pertinent information.


End file.
